A Manchester City supporters group are urging fans of Europe’s top teams to boo Uefa ahead of every match.
Manchester City and Bayern Munich fans will ditch their differences to protest against Uefa at the beginning of their crucial Champions League group game at the Etihad Stadium.
Fans became frustrated after around 300 CSKA Moscow supporters appeared to be present at their home game against Man City, despite it being a ‘closed doors’ match. Meanwhile, many travelling City fans were turned away.
Supporters have hit out at Uefa for not investigating why some home fans were allowed in, when City fans who had travelled thousands of miles were turned away.
The 1894 Group will lead both sets of fans in turning their backs and booing Uefa’s anthem when it is played before the game – and they are calling on others to do the same.
A spokesperson for 1894 told MM: “They don’t give a damn about us. I think that if across all the Champions League games they were booed it would make a real statement.
“Uefa could easily reimburse people. Some of the fans are up £1,000 out of pocket after that trip to Moscow.
“How is it fair when people have lost money, and then Uefa reduce Moscow’s sentence, and don’t investigate how Moscow fans got in?”
Bayern and City fans have sent a letter asking Uefa officials to meet with them before the game on Tuesday, but do not expect a response.
Supporters feel that they have been treated poorly despite the club’s efforts to conform with the new Financial Fair Play regulations which they breached last season.
A statement released by the 1894 Group said: “The wider Manchester City support cannot help feel slightly disconnected from Uefa and their competitions at the moment.
“We are a club penalised for trying to better ourselves. Other clubs spend fortunes and go into debt yet the punishment is not equal.”
Last season, City were fined £49million and given squad and spending restrictions for this season’s Champions League after breaking Uefa’s new rules on Financial Fair Play.
With a reduced squad, the Blues now face an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, needing to beat the 2012/13 European Champions to stand any chance of making it through.
Image courtesy of Duncan Hill, with thanks.
