Pep Guardiola left speechless by nickname for new Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca as Man City chief attributes comparison to baldness

The City boss was asked about Maresca's nickname of 'Diet Pep' as the two clubs prepare to go head to head in a pre-season friendly. The match has added stakes because the sides will play each other in the first game of their respective Premier League campaigns, with this fixture offering both a preview of their rivals' tactics.

Maresca was appointed following Mauricio Pochettino's departure but has somewhat struggled through pre-season; the Blues have drawn with Wrexham and been thumped by Celtic, while also recording a comfortable win over Club America. Guardiola, perhaps as a result of those performances, believes the nickname stems from the fact they are both bald.

Per Hayters, the City boss was asked about Maresca's nickname and replied: "Diet?!"

His press officer explained: "Like you, but not quite you."

Guardiola laughed and replied: "It's for the hair... it's for the beard."

Guardiola and Maresca have worked together at City, with the latter first coaching the Elite Development Squad and later being appointed to the club's backroom team.

The Catalan added: "I'm really pleased, we spent a special year together but when we were in the second team together, he's an incredible, lovely person, him and his family. He made a really good job, unbelievable, at Leicester, promoting to the Premier League and now being at one of the top five or six teams in England and I wish him all the best because he deserves it. Nice people deserve the best and as a manager, the most important thing to be a manager is to believe something deeply, but deeply, deeply, whatever result, stick with my idea, that's why he believes in what he does and will have success. I don't know how long but he will have it."

The two sides clash in the United States on Saturday. Chelsea then conclude their pre-season preparations against Real Madrid and Inter Milan, while City face Manchester United in the Community Shield next weekend.