Maresca says rival fans may call Manchester City cheats over charges
Enzo Maresca said he would call Manchester City “cheats” if he supported Manchester United or Arsenal, reflecting the abuse City fans may face after an independent commission found the club guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules. He said supporters were finding the scandal harder to deal with than players or staff, while stressing that the squad was focused on football.
City have appealed the ruling and continue to deny wrongdoing. Maresca made his comments after a 3-0 win at Liverpool, whose celebrations drew criticism, and ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. Captain Rúben Dias said the players were calm, trusted the club and were concentrating on enjoying football; former manager Pep Guardiola was expected to attend the match.
- Maresca said rival fans could call City “cheats”.
- City have appealed a ruling over more than 100 financial-rule breaches.
- Maresca and Dias said the squad is focused on football.
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Manchester City are one of the leading clubs in English football, alongside long-standing rivals such as Manchester United and Arsenal. Like other Premier League clubs, they must follow financial rules governing income, spending and the information they give to the league.
The Premier League accused City of more than 100 rule breaches over several seasons. An independent commission found the club guilty of the breaches, while City deny wrongdoing and have appealed; the process has drawn attention to how football’s financial rules are enforced and what consequences clubs may face. Enzo Maresca, a former City coach now managing another club, was speaking about how the allegations affect City supporters and shape rival fans’ reactions.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Rival supporters can reasonably see the commission’s findings as grounds to call City cheats: the alleged breaches concern the financial rules that govern fair competition, and fans may feel the club gained an unfair advantage if those findings stand. From that perspective, blunt language expresses frustration about the integrity of the competition, even as City’s appeal remains unresolved.
The case against
City supporters can reasonably object that calling the club cheats treats a disputed case as settled: City denies wrongdoing and has appealed, so the findings are not the final word. They may also feel that abuse aimed at fans unfairly makes them answer for decisions by club officials, while players and supporters try to follow the team through the controversy.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Maresca says he would describe Manchester City as ‘cheats’ if he was a United fan”.