Infantino accused of helping Manchester City and PSG over financial fair play

Rui Pinto, the Portuguese whistleblower behind the Football Leaks revelations, has accused FIFA president Gianni Infantino of helping Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain avoid tougher punishment for alleged breaches of UEFA’s financial fair play rules in 2014.

Pinto claims Infantino used his position as UEFA general secretary at the time to secure more lenient sanctions for both clubs. He also alleges that confidential documents were shared during efforts to resolve the cases.

“Back in 2014, someone knew about the irregularities concerning Manchester City. That man is now running FIFA,” Pinto wrote.

Pinto’s Football Leaks disclosures formed the basis of several journalistic investigations into Manchester City. His latest comments revive claims that Infantino personally intervened in financial fair play cases involving both Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Similar allegations emerged from Football Leaks documents in 2018. Der Spiegel reported at the time that Infantino had become directly involved in the cases and had helped the clubs reach more favourable agreements.

Pinto says Infantino’s actions enabled Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain to escape a fine. The accusations concern the period when Infantino was UEFA’s secretary general, before he became president of FIFA.

He ended his statement with a direct attack on Infantino’s record in football administration.

“Given his actions as UEFA secretary general and, more recently, as FIFA president, I can only say that Gianni Infantino, in my humble opinion, has become a cancer for football and should have no place in the future of this sport,” Pinto wrote.