In the long shadow of Football Leaks, Rui Pinto has renewed his attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, alleging that the head of world football knew of financial irregularities involving Manchester City and helped prevent deeper sporting consequences for both the English club and Paris Saint-Germain.
Pinto, whose 2018 disclosures became central to later scrutiny of Manchester City, said Infantino should leave his FIFA post and should have no role in football’s future. The Italian-Swiss official is already facing political pressure with FIFA’s 2027 presidential election approaching.
Writing on X, Pinto alleged that Infantino was aware as early as 2014 of issues surrounding Manchester City. At that time, Infantino was UEFA’s general secretary, and Pinto accused him of misusing his position, passing on confidential material and obstructing those examining the case.
Pinto further claimed that Infantino worked to ensure that City and PSG received financial penalties rather than facing more extensive investigations. In Pinto’s view, a fuller inquiry could have put both clubs at risk of exclusion from the Champions League.
The accusations return the focus to a period when European football’s financial controls were being tested by the rise of state-backed wealth and increasingly complex club finances, with Manchester, Paris and UEFA at the centre of the debate.
