Cherki shines against AEK Athens but PSG ghost still looms

Rayan Cherki scored his sixth goal of the season across all competitions on Tuesday night, contributing to Manchester City’s emphatic 5-1 victory over AEK Athens. A fluid and elegant performance, praised by his manager Enzo Maresca: “We know that we can expect anything from Rayan at any moment.”

But this fine European evening comes in a particular context. Just three days after lighting up the Etihad Stadium against Liverpool (3-0) with a gem inside the box, Cherki had collapsed during PSG’s visit: sloppy, disengaged, out of sync, he was substituted at half-time by young Ayyoub Bouaddi.

This premature withdrawal triggered a barrage of criticism. Christophe Dugarry was direct: “Without intensity, his technique is worth nothing. On the match he’s playing tonight, he’s walking, he’s playing at two miles an hour.” The pundit cited the intensity of Lamine Yamal or Dani Olmo at FC Barcelona as models to follow to take the next step. Samir Nasri, meanwhile, identified this nonchalance as the main brake on his progression: “He has extraordinary talent, of Neymar’s calibre. But he needs to shed this nonchalance, it’s a brake at the very highest level.”

The goal against AEK has not closed the debate. On social media, frustration still outweighs enthusiasm, with many observers pointing to variable performance depending on the calibre of opponent. The contrast between a total disappearance against PSG and immediate influence against a struggling Greek team fuels a question that keeps coming back: is Cherki capable of raising his level in the big matches?