Virulent criticism of Rayan Cherki after his move to the Etihad

Three days after scoring the decisive goal that sealed the Citizens' 3-0 victory over Liverpool, Rayan Cherki showed a completely different side on Wednesday during PSG's visit to the Etihad Stadium, drawing sharp criticism from several former French players.

A performance deemed sloppy

The former Lyon player, taken off at halftime, was described as “sloppy and disengaged” by observers. Christophe Dugarry, former striker of the French national team, did not mince his words, highlighting the young French captain’s lack of intensity against the capital’s club.

“Without intensity, his technique is worth nothing,” Dugarry said, adding that Cherki “walks, he plays at a two‑hour pace, he thinks that’s enough” during the match.

References to Barça’s prodigies

To illustrate his point, Dugarry urged Cherki to watch the top players on the other side of the Pyrenees, citing Barcelona prodigies such as Olmo and Yamal, praising their technique and intensity.

He concluded: “Either you add intensity to your game and you will become one of the best, but as long as you don’t, you will stagnate.”

Samir Nasri also voiced his concern before kickoff, labeling Cherki’s nonchalance a “problem” and comparing his raw talent to Neymar’s, while stressing the need to eliminate this attitude.

On the pitch, the sanction was immediate: the coach took Cherki off at halftime, replacing him with Ayyoub Bouaddi, alongside Jeremy Doku and Ruben Dias.

The former world champion is not the only one to criticize the player’s behaviour, but Dugarry’s and Nasri’s comments highlight a shared concern about Cherki’s ability to combine his talent with consistent intensity.