Manchester City players will refund tickets for 374 fans who travelled to Bodo after a humiliating 3-1 Champions League defeat to Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt
MANCHESTER City’s players will refund ticket costs for fans who travelled to the Arctic Circle to witness a humiliating 3-1 Champions League defeat to Bodo/Glimt.
City suffered one of the most chastening results in their history as the Norwegian minnows claimed their first group-stage victory.
The entire 55,000 population of Bodo could nearly fit into City’s Etihad Stadium, while the financial gulf between the clubs is huge.
The players have agreed to reimburse the cost of tickets for the 374 supporters who made the trip.
Tickets for the tie at the tiny Aspmyra Stadion cost around £25 each.
A statement from City’s group of captains said: “Our supporters mean everything to us. We know the sacrifice that our fans make when they travel across the world to support us home and away and we will never take it for granted.”
The statement added that covering the ticket cost was “the least we can do” for fans who travelled to Bodo in freezing conditions.
City’s only wins in their past seven games have come in domestic cup competitions against lower-league opposition.
They have not won a Premier League match this year and a recent loss to Manchester United left them seven points behind leaders Arsenal.
The refund gesture was welcomed by Kevin Parker, a representative of City’s official supporters club.
“Manchester City fans will travel to the ends of the earth to support our team, and last night was no different in the Arctic Circle,” Parker said.
He added that the gesture was a reminder of the incredible connection between the City support and the players.
