PSG: Daniel Riolo slams Luis Enrique
After Luis Enrique’s comments on the Manchester City case, Daniel Riolo blasted the PSG coach’s stance, which he considers untenable and shocking.
Key takeaways
- Daniel Riolo blasted Luis Enrique’s remarks about Manchester City, calling the stance scandalous and indefensible.
- Riolo argues that focusing only on on-pitch verdicts ignores suspicions of long-running financial doping and the potential upstream advantage.
- Riolo says a coach of Enrique’s stature should remain neutral and let competent authorities decide, warning that taking City's side would be a major communications error.
- Riolo notes he has never been an admirer of Enrique and suggests the issue has revived his distrust in the PSG coach, who commented before the ongoing case was decided.
Match sheet
Manchester City 2 – 4 Paris Saint-Germain
· Ligue des champions · League Phase · Etihad Stadium
- 13' Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 15' Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 32' Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 53' Erling Haaland (Manchester City) — goal
- 61' Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City) — yellow card
- 62' Maghnes Akliouche (Paris Saint-Germain) — goal
- 69' Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain) — yellow card
- 75' Erling Haaland (Manchester City) — goal
Standings Ligue des champions : 1er, 9 pts (3 j.)
Daniel Riolo reacted strongly to Luis Enrique’s remarks made before Wednesday’s match against Manchester City. The PSG coach had expressed the idea that trophies won on the pitch should stand and wished for a favorable outcome for the English club, which is facing serious allegations. For the RMC journalist, this stance is scandalous and indefensible.
Riolo's main argument on the pitch verdict and suspicions
On L’After, Riolo set out a blunt case. In his view, invoking only the verdict on the pitch misses the point when there are suspicions of "financial doping" over a prolonged period. He illustrates his point by explaining that if a team strengthens itself thanks to resources injected outside the rules, the advantage is built upstream of the match, long before kick-off. Therefore, publicly wishing that everything ends well for City amounts, in his eyes, to ignoring the sense of injustice felt by a large part of English football and former greats who are calling for tough sanctions if cheating is proven.
The issue: financial doping and call for sanctions
Riolo mainly questions the reason for such a stance. He believes a coach of Luis Enrique’s stature should stick to a cautious line: note that an investigation is ongoing and leave the decision to the competent authorities. Taking City’s side, even implicitly, would be a major communications error in his view.
Riolo's view of Enrique and past criticisms
The journalist also points out that he has never been an admirer of the Spaniard, whom he once saddled with a mocking nickname. While PSG’s two recent wins in the Champions League had temporarily softened his criticism, this episode revives his distrust. In Riolo’s eyes, the Paris coach is needlessly exposing himself by venturing onto such a sensitive off-field issue, while the case against Manchester City has yet to be decided.
Your questions, our answers
What did Riolo say about Enrique’s remarks before the City match?
Riolo said Enrique’s stance is scandalous and indefensible because it ignores suspicions of financial doping and potential sanctions.
Why does Riolo think taking City's side would be a mistake?
Riolo believes it would be a major communications error and ignores the sense of injustice felt by many in English football, and it should be left to the competent authorities.
What is Riolo’s history with Luis Enrique, according to the article?
Riolo says he has never been an admirer of Enrique and even gave him a mocking nickname; the episode revives his distrust as he criticizes the coach for commenting on a sensitive off-field issue.