Luis Enrique surprised by Man City verdict and hopes they avoid sanctions
Paris St-Germain boss Luis Enrique says he was surprised to learn Manchester City had been found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules — and he hopes they avoid punishment.
He spoke at a news conference at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, on the eve of PSG’s Champions League trip to City on Wednesday at 20:00 BST. The game is City’s first at home since an independent commission ruled against them on the majority of 115 charges, according to BBC Sport.
Enrique said City deserved to win on the pitch all the trophies they have lifted. He added that the final decision rests with the authorities and the judge, and the process must be respected.
The commission found City broke the league’s spending rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018. It said the club used sham deals with commercial partners to secretly channel more than £830m into the football operation. City insist they are innocent and have appealed.
That verdict was announced during the recent international break. If the guilty finding stands, City could face heavy sanctions, including a large points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League, as reported by CBS Sports. The club’s chairman has said he remains confident City will be cleared.
On the pitch, Wednesday is loaded. PSG arrive as reigning European champions. City boss Enzo Maresca has said his side will need the perfect game to beat them, according to Yahoo Sports. PSG’s own build-up has centred on the scale of the night, with Luis Enrique calling it “a real challenge” and Ousmane Dembélé describing it as a huge match.
There is a reunion too. Pep Guardiola is expected back at the Etihad for the first time since leaving City at the end of last season. He won 20 trophies in 10 years in charge.
The tie also brings together two clubs with similar backstories. City were bought for £200m in 2008 by Abu Dhabi United Group, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. PSG are owned by Qatar Sports Investment. Both clubs were fined by UEFA in 2014 for breaching financial rules.
What makes this stand out is the split screen. One night is about football at the highest speed. The other is about paperwork, appeals and what happens next off the pitch. For fans, this means ninety minutes of elite European football played under a very unusual shadow.
