'I Want To Kill Them': Rayan Cherki Vows Revenge on Manchester United For Lyon Heartbreak

Last Updated:June 16, 2025, 21:45 IST

Manchester City's new signee Rayan Cherki aims to avenge Lyon's Europa League loss to Manchester United.

Rayan Cherki with Manchester City (X)

Nobody ever forgets a painful loss. So hasn’t Manchester City’s new signee Rayan Cherki, who has his eyes set on exacting revenge against rivals Manchester United for the suffering they caused his previous side, Lyon, in the Europa League this past season.

Cherki, who joined the Citizens following a lengthy stint at Lyon, experienced firsthand the heartbreak of Lyon’s 5-4 loss to Manchester United in the Europa League quarter-finals.

In his introductory interview, Cherki openly declared war on City rivals, stirring controversy.

“I’m here to win every match," Cherki told The Times. He then added, “I didn’t like it when Manchester United beat Lyon in the Europa League because I’m a fan. Now I want to kill them."

In both legs of the UEL quarter-finals, Rayan Cherki found his name on the scoresheet, but it wasn’t enough to secure his team a spot in the semi-finals of the tournament.

During the second leg at Old Trafford, when the Frenchman scored for Lyon against Manchester United, he seemingly grabbed his crotch and made certain gestures at the home fans, throwing the gauntlet at the Red Devils.

The Frenchman also expressed excitement about the challenges ahead with his new club.

“I want to win everything. When I spoke with the coach, he told me he wanted me. He was very clear about the system, the club, the city… it suits me perfectly," he said.

The 21-year-old was brought in to strengthen Pep Guardiola’s midfield following De Bruyne’s move to Napoli on a free transfer.

But Cherki made it clear that it wasn’t his desire to be compared with De Bruyne, but to etch his own legacy at the Etihad.

“I’m not Kevin De Bruyne, he is the legend," he stated, as quoted by BBC Sport.

“I want to win and I think Manchester City wants to win it all," he said confidently.

City is drawn into Group G of the Club World Cup, where they will make their debut on Wednesday, June 18, against Wydad AC. They will then face on Sunday, June 22, and complete their group stage with a match against on Thursday, June 26.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location :

First Published:

News sports » football 'I Want To Kill Them': Rayan Cherki Vows Revenge on Manchester United For Lyon Heartbreak