Rita Johal, the ex-wife of Algerian star Riyad Mahrez, claimed that he abandoned her and their two daughters after signing with Manchester City in 2018.

Johal said - in an interview with the British newspaper "The Sun" - that Mahrez turned from an ordinary father shopping naturally to an arrogant person after moving to Manchester City and receiving a large salary of 160,000 pounds per week (187,000 euros). .

The English model of Indian origin indicated that the wife of the English star Harry Kane - whose transfer from Tottenham to Man City collapsed this summer - is lucky with her survival, "and others should be careful."

"I cannot comment on the lives of others, but moving there (Manchester City) changed my (former) husband," Johal, 28, added.

She confirmed that "fame tempted Riyad Mahrez, and he changed when he left for Manchester, but the footballer's career does not last long."

"They must remain humble and loyal to those who care about them, even when they move to a bigger club, because when it is over they will realize who is really wishing them well."

Johal recounted how she changed and changed her lifestyle after meeting Mahrez, 30, as she stopped drinking alcohol and lived a quiet life with the Algerian star since she met him.

Mahrez and his ex-wife (social networking sites)

When he moved to the "heavenly" team, his feelings for her changed, and she revealed that "the Riyad Mahrez I met is different from what he is now; he celebrates lavishly and behaves like a star footballer."

"I don't hate him, but I'm shocked and saddened by what he did, he suddenly left me and blames the stress of playing at Manchester City, and now he spends all his time wandering around the world on vacation without any concern for others," she said.

And about her first meeting with him, "It was in 2014, I had no idea who he was, and it wasn't a big name at the time, but he was charming and I loved him, he was nice to me; he tells me I'm beautiful and asks about my life and makes me feel special."

Johal confirmed that she was satisfied with the role of the housewife and raising the two daughters, while Riyad Mahrez went to play football, until "he joined Manchester City and everything changed."

In 2018, the Citizens signed Mahrez on a 5-year contract for about 70 million euros, and he became the most expensive player - at that time - in the club's history.

After this move, Johal says, "The humble and loving Riad disappeared, and a person who did not ask about me or about his two daughters' diaries took his place, and he began to ignore me, and when I asked him, his answer was: (The reason is pressure and tension from playing and competition), and in 2019 he left the marital home and stayed in a hotel, I begged him on one occasion to return, but he refused, and his fans began to bully me through the communication sites and describe me as a failed wife.

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Mahrez separated from Johal in 2020 after she gave birth to two daughters (Inaya, born 2015 and Ayla, born 2016), and then he was linked to British model Taylor Ward, 23, last February.

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And last June, the captain of the Algerian national team proposed to Taylor with a ring worth 466,000 euros.

In December, Mahrez bought a house for about two million and 300 thousand euros in Chester, in northwestern England.