Juanma Lillo returns to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City coaching staff

Juanma Lillo has re-joined Pep Guardiola‘s Manchester City coaching staff after the treble-winners lost assistant manager Enzo Maresca to Leicester City in June.

Lillo, 57, previously worked for City between 2020 and 2022, helping the club win two Premier League titles and a Carabao Cup.

He left the Etihad Stadium in June 2022 to take up the role of Head Coach at Al-Sadd of the Qatar Stars League. 

He was replaced by former West Brom midfielder Enzo Maresca, but the Italian’s decision to take the managerial position at Leicester has allowed Lillo to return to Manchester. 

The Spaniard was previously Guardiola’s manager at Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa and the City boss has expressed his delight at linking up with Lillo once again. 

Juanma Lillo has returned to the Etihad Stadium following a year in Qatar with Al-Sadd

Lillo, 57, previously managed Pep Guardiola at Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa and worked alongside him for two seasons at Manchester City

 Guardiola said: ‘Juanma sees things no one else in the game sees. He understands football on an incredible level, so he is the perfect person for me to work alongside. 

‘I have always been inspired by him – his knowledge of football, his intelligence and his humanity mark him out as a very special person in my life – and we have a shared ideology.

‘He is a friend, a colleague and an inspiration. I am so, so happy he is back here at Manchester City.

‘His preparation for matches is absolutely amazing. I know he will raise standards because he works so hard every single day.’

City face Arsenal in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday before beginning the defence of their Premier League title against Burnley on Friday, August 11.