Rayan Cherki is making headlines once more, this time for an unusual and notably early shirt exchange during Manchester City’s dominant 4-0 FA Cup victory against FC Liverpool on Saturday.
The French midfielder, after a strong performance, was substituted in the 71st minute by head coach Pep Guardiola for Tijjani Reijnders. As he left the pitch, Cherki quickly swapped jerseys with his compatriot Hugo Ekitike, who had also been replaced earlier for the visiting team. The incident that followed quickly captured attention.
In a truly bizarre moment, Cherki took his seat on the City bench next to Gianluigi Donnarumma and proceeded to put on Ekitike’s Liverpool shirt. This action was met with evident surprise and discomfort from members of the medical staff seated behind him. Realizing his mistake shortly thereafter, the summer signing promptly removed the jersey, raising his hands apologetically with a grin. Subsequent television footage showed a rather crestfallen Ekitike sitting on the Liverpool bench, now in a black training top.
Experts React to Cherki’s Unconventional Antics
Cherki’s behavior immediately ignited widespread discussion online, with many fans criticizing the 22-year-old for sporting an opponent’s shirt while the match was still actively being played. Former Arsenal professional Philippe Senderos, speaking as an expert, commented, «He knows exactly what he’s doing. It’s refreshing. He’s one of those players. He has hardly a filter and he just says what he wants.»
Conversely, former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher offered a different perspective, speculating, «That won’t go down well with many at all,» anticipating a negative reaction from a significant portion of the football community.
Cherki joined Manchester City last summer from Olympique Lyon for a transfer fee of 36.5 million euros. The technically gifted player has quickly established a reputation as an unconventional and free-spirited individual. For example, just before the recent international break, during the 2-0 Carabao Cup final win against Arsenal, he was seen performing elaborate tricks against several opponents towards the end of the match and later celebrated provocatively after the final whistle.
Criticism of Cherki’s playing style has also come from 1998 World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry. Dugarry specifically highlighted Cherki’s perceived lack of defensive effort after losing possession, questioning, «Which player can afford to stop when he loses the ball?» He also expressed concern over Cherki’s showboating, stating, «He is a player who still needs a lot of consistency and who needs to be good over a longer period. (…) He is Cherki, he is not Zidane.»
Rayan Cherki’s Performance Statistics at Manchester City
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | 10 | 12 |