Speaking ahead of PSG's Champions League trip to Manchester City's Etihad Stadium, the French club's coach Luis Enrique said City deserve the titles they have won and should be allowed to keep them, despite the English club facing sanctions after being found to have breached Premier League financial regulations.
Asked about the ruling at a press conference on Tuesday, Enrique said the "process must be respected and the final decision awaited." He stressed: "There are bodies responsible for making that decision, those decisions, and we have to wait. But if we are just talking about football and what I see on the pitch, Man City deserve those titles."
Enrique's comments came amid speculation that the trophies City won during the period under scrutiny could be stripped.
According to the Premier League, City used "fake" commercial contracts as part of schemes to inflate revenue and lower costs, with a total value of more than £900 million ($1.19 billion).
City deny any wrongdoing throughout the proceedings and have appealed the ruling. The club could face punishments ranging from fines and points deductions to relegation, and could even be stripped of titles.
"I love the way they play football, and then you have to wait for the final decision, nothing else. I hope they can avoid that sanction," Enrique added.
Former City manager Pep Guardiola, who left the club in May, is expected to return to the Etihad for the game against PSG. Enrique is a close friend and former Barcelona teammate of Guardiola.
For his part, Enzo Maresca has so far made a perfect start to the difficult task of succeeding Guardiola. The Italian has won all eight of his matches in all competitions, but Enrique dismissed the suggestion that Wednesday's game is a chance for either side to make an early statement.
"January is when you really see a team's level," he said. "In five or six months, everything will be very different. Many teams change. But at this stage, it is an exciting game, a game worth watching."
