Man City charges: Ahead of PSG, Dias defends celebrations at Liverpool

What the report says

Manchester City captain Ruben Dias has defended the team’s post-match celebrations after their 3-0 Premier League win at Liverpool’s Anfield last weekend, saying the squad trusts the club as it faces a major financial rules case. The comments came on Tuesday, just before City’s Champions League match at home against Paris Saint-Germain.

Al Jazeera reported that the Anfield victory left City top of the Premier League, but also came soon after the club was found guilty of more than 100 charges tied to alleged breaches of English top-flight financial rules. City have appealed the ruling, and the club and its players have been under intense scrutiny since the verdict. Dias said critics do not like City winning, while manager Enzo Maresca also rejected suggestions that the celebrations were excessive.

The match against PSG adds another layer of significance. PSG, backed by Qatar, are one of Europe’s strongest sides and had previously beaten City in the 2024-25 Champions League. Maresca said City would need a near-perfect performance against what he described as the continent’s best team right now. Former City manager Pep Guardiola was also expected to attend, marking his first return to the Etihad since leaving the club last season.