Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has defended his players’ celebrations following their 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, insisting the team had every reason to enjoy the result despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the club’s financial case.
Maresca spoke at a news conference on Tuesday ahead of City’s UEFA Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, following criticism of the players’ celebrations after their first match since the club received a guilty verdict over breaches of Premier League financial rules.
According to the BBC, the City manager questioned why his players should be criticised for celebrating a convincing away victory against one of their major rivals.
“We won 3-0 at Anfield; what do you want us to do?” Maresca said.
“Even if it was 1-0, it would be the same. We work every day to win games. It’s the only thing that we can think of. The rest is just things from outside that we need to deal with.”
The celebrations attracted attention amid the scrutiny surrounding City’s financial case, with the club appealing the verdict.
However, Maresca maintained that the players’ reaction was a natural expression of their achievement, stressing that winning matches remained the team’s priority.
City captain Rúben Dias also backed his manager, insisting that the players should be allowed to celebrate according to the emotions of the moment.
“I very much stand by the manager’s words,” Dias said.
“I think we will enjoy it just as much and celebrate however it feels in the moment. It will be a show of how much it means to us.”
Dias added that the squad had remained composed despite the controversy and continued to trust the club as the legal process progressed.
Maresca, however, acknowledged that the situation could be more difficult for City supporters, who have faced criticism and accusations from fans of rival clubs over the allegations against their team.
He explained that the controversy could create uncomfortable exchanges between supporters, particularly when fans of rival teams accuse City of gaining an unfair advantage.
“Probably it has been tougher for our fans than for the players or for me because it’s more complicated,” he said.
“If I am an Arsenal fan or United fan and you are a City fan, I say, ‘Hey, my friend, you cheat.’ So it is probably tougher for them, but we were happy inside the changing room. We were very happy celebrating the three points because it is very difficult at Anfield.”
The City manager’s comments came as his team turned its attention to the challenge of facing Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League.
Maresca described the reigning European champions as one of the strongest sides on the continent and said City would need an exceptional performance to secure victory.
“We need the perfect performance because they are the best team in Europe,” he said.
“They have won the past two Champions Leagues. We need the perfect game, but doing our best, I think we can beat them and be happy at the end.”
City will be looking to carry the same confidence gained from their emphatic win at Anfield into the European fixture, while the controversy surrounding the club’s financial case continues to draw attention off the pitch.
