According to The Guardian, Maresca said Haaland is fatigued and may be rested for the first Champions League match.
Maresca believes that Haaland has become "more complete" since the birth of his son two years ago, as priorities have shifted.
Haaland has had a red-hot start to the season, with Manchester City winning their first three Premier League matches and scoring three goals. In his first four seasons with City, the 26-year-old striker won the Premier League Golden Boot three times. Maresca points out that the birth of his son in 2024 has changed the Norwegian striker's motivation.
Maresca said: "He's a man now, a father. He wasn't a father when he came here in the summer of 2022, but now he is, and his life will be completely changed because his priority has become his son. I'm happy for him because he was already great as a player and as a boy, but now you can see he's a complete person. He's a family man, and he keeps scoring goals, so I'm very happy for him."
Manchester City will face Porto away on Tuesday in their first Champions League match. Haaland has played every single official game this season, and Maresca stated that he always gets a rest at some point, especially since the striker just reached the World Cup quarter-finals with Norway.
The Italian coach said: "It's not easy for Haaland, or for any player who has to play for both club and country at the same time. I think it's normal to see these players starting to feel fatigued. So, giving them some rest is the right thing to do. It could be one game off, or it could be a week off."
"It depends on the stage we are in, but the priority is to keep the players in good condition and happy. When you see them fatigued, the risk of injury increases, and what we need are players who are 100% in condition."
If Haaland is rested against Porto, Maresca's options include playing Semenyo as the center forward, or having Foden or Scherki play as a false 9. However, Maresca also emphasized that both players can provide control for Manchester City in the match.
The 46-year-old coach said, "Tactical arrangements are always in place, and Sergi can drop back a little to help control the tempo and the game."
“We also need Sherki to be in a position where he can create threats. In the last game against Coventry, we had five or six connections between him and the line, and we created some chances.”
"It depends on the game. Against Coventry, it was good for him to drop back a little and help control the tempo, instead of always being a reference point for the opponent. We need him in the right position because he can bring us quality. Foden can do that too, and his final pass between the two lines is excellent, so we are lucky to have two very good players in the team who can do this job."
In his first season as manager of Porto, Faglioli led the team to their 31st league title, securing 15 points in the first five rounds of the Portuguese league.
When asked if Manchester City would be the favorites at the Estádio do Dragão, Maresca said: “We’re here to give it our all. The game will decide who the favorites are. It’s a tough place to play. They’ve had a great start to the season. They’ve only lost one of their last 14 or 15 European games, so we’ll do everything we can to win.”
“I know Porto is strong from set pieces. I think that has become part of the game, so we need to do our best to defend the right way and also score as many goals as possible from set pieces, because that’s part of the game, and you have to be perfect because all teams are prepared for that.”
Maresca stated that Nico O'Reilly is "highly likely" available to play after missing the Coventry game due to a physical issue, but he also said that it is "uncertain" whether Doku, who is out injured, will be able to play.
