Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has said he hopes everything works out for Manchester City, insisting the club deserve credit for their trophy-winning success in recent years. His comments come as City remain at the centre of an unprecedented financial charges case after being found guilty by an independent commission of 114 Premier League charges.
City's financial charges case
The Premier League alleged that the club used 'sham' sponsorship deals to inflate their revenues by £900million. However, City continue to deny any wrongdoing, maintaining their innocence and citing 'irrefutable evidence' to support their defence.
An independent commission will oversee the case, with an outcome expected before the end of the year. A key part of City's defence is understood to be that the sponsorship deals were legitimate and funded by the Abu Dhabi government rather than the club's owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG).
Enrique's praise for Guardiola's City
Enrique was quizzed about the ongoing charges against the club ahead of their Champions League clash against PSG. Enrique and former City boss Guardiola, who played alongside each other at Barcelona, have both established themselves as two of the most successful managers in modern football.
Guardiola has won numerous trophies during his time at the Etihad, and Enrique was full of praise for the 'incredible' work done by his compatriot, suggesting he'd like to see City avoid sanctions.
"There is a lot of noise around Manchester City and there is often noise around big clubs," Enrique said. "We have just have to wait and see what the final decision will be. I hope everything works out well for Manchester City because I think what they have done on the pitch has been incredible over the last few years and they certainly deserved to win on the pitch all the trophies they have won."
He added: "The trophies you win on the pitch remain on the pitch. They deserved to win that and I hope they can avoid the sanction. But we have to wait. The things I will say to Pep I will do in private."
Reaction and next steps
Enzo Maresca's side returned to Premier League action for the first time since the verdict, securing a 3-0 victory over Liverpool on Sunday. As expected, the Cityzens were met with boos and jeers as they stepped onto the pitch at Anfield following the international break.
There have been calls for City to face severe punishment should their appeal fail, including expulsion from the Premier League.
