Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca told his players to remain focused and positive as the squad trained together on Thursday for the first time since the club was found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League, according to BBC Sport.
The international players came back to training nine days after the Premier League published a report stating the club had used "sham" contracts to conceal secret funding of more than £830m, the BBC reported.
BBC Sport had reported earlier in the week that Maresca would speak to the players once they returned to domestic duty, since news of the verdicts broke while most of the squad were away with their national teams.
Why it matters
The verdict is one of the most significant in the history of the Premier League, and its consequences now hang over a club that has been the dominant force in English football for much of the past decade. City's players and staff are returning to everyday work while the wider fallout — including an appeal — remains unresolved.
The club's rivals are also navigating the situation carefully. As Premier League football resumes after a three-week break, several clubs have decided their managers will not speak publicly about the verdict, according to BBC reporting.
Maresca's message to the squad
It is understood that Maresca asked his players not to let the crisis affect their attitude or focus, with the league campaign restarting this weekend. The BBC described the private communication to those connected with the playing staff as equally emphatic.
Striker Erling Haaland backed his manager's approach in comments to Sky Sports ahead of Sunday's trip to Liverpool. Haaland said he cares deeply about the club, describing it as a special place and saying he feels connected to the supporters.
He said the fans would have a good time on Sunday and that the team must remain united and positive, adding that no matter what happens in life, they should keep smiling, look ahead and try to win football games. He also said the group needs to spread love to one another and enjoy the ride.
Rival managers steer clear
With pre-match press conferences compulsory, managers — including Maresca on Friday — will face questions about the verdict. But a number of clubs have already taken a clear position that their managers should not comment, the BBC reported.
Some news conferences took place on Thursday, yet Coventry boss Frank Lampard, Leeds head coach Daniel Farke and Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle all avoided discussing the matter at length.
Jaissle said that as the manager of another club he is not in a position to judge the situation and that it is not part of his job. He said the authorities are handling it and that a process will be followed, adding that his club's focus must be on preparing for Monday's match against Coventry and on what they can influence on the pitch.
Lampard, who played for Manchester City during the 2014-15 season, said there is little to say while an appeal is ongoing and that he is outside the story rather than inside it. He said he would wait to see the outcome of the appeal, adding that he does not know the timelines. He insisted he was not avoiding the question, but simply did not feel it was his answer to give.
Asked what the punishment should be, Lampard said it is not his role to discuss a punishment or its scale, and that he could not answer.
The coming days will show how City's players carry Maresca's message into Sunday's match at Liverpool, and whether the club's rivals maintain their public silence as the appeal process moves forward.
