By Adegboyega Adeleye
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has questioned criticism of his players’ celebrations after their 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, insisting the team had every reason to celebrate the result.
According to the BBC, Maresca defended the celebrations at a news conference on Tuesday ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, following criticism directed at the club after its guilty verdict over breaches of Premier League financial rules.
“We won 3-0 at Anfield; what do you want us to do?” Maresca said.
“Even if it was 1-0, it would be exactly 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.”
City’s victory over Liverpool was their first match since the verdict, which the club has appealed. The celebrations at the final whistle attracted criticism amid the continuing scrutiny of the club’s financial case.
Captain Rúben Dias also defended the players’ reaction, saying they should be free to express their emotions after matches.
“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 players remained calm and trusted the club despite the ongoing legal process.
Maresca said the situation had been more difficult for Manchester City supporters than for the players and staff, acknowledging the criticism the club’s fans had faced from rival supporters.
“Probably it has been more tough 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 more tough 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.”
Manchester City are preparing to host reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium, with Maresca describing the fixture as a major test for his side.
“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.”
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