Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has backed Manchester City with stating the English club deserves to keep the trophies they won on the pitch despite facing severe financial sanctions.
His comments come after the Premier League found Manchester City guilty of breaching financial rules. The league alleged that City used "sham" commercial contracts to artificially inflate revenues and understate costs by over £900 million ($1.19 billion). City, who strongly deny all charges, have appealed the verdict. Punishments could range from heavy fines and points deductions to relegation and stripping of past titles.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of PSG’s Champions League clash at the Etihad Stadium, Luis Enrique expressed surprise at the news but emphasized respect for the legal process while defending City’s sporting achievements.
"I think we need to respect the process and wait for the final decision" Luis Enrique said. "But if I speak only about football and the things that I saw on the pitch, Man City deserve those trophies. I love the way they play football and I think the trophies that you win on the pitch remain on the pitch. I hope they can avoid that sanction."
City host PSG on Wednesday night as the legal battle continues off the pitch.
