Manchester City fans holds up ‘boo’ signs during the Champions League match between Sevilla and Manchester City (Picture: Getty Images)
Manchester City fans holds up ‘boo’ signs during the Champions League match between Sevilla and Manchester City (Picture: Getty Images)

Manchester City fans have been booing the Champions League anthem before kick-off in recent years, but why are they doing this?

The reasons are because there is a growing frustration from the City fans toward European governing body, UEFA, over a number of issues.

This can be date back to 2012 when City were a Europa League side.

Former striker, Mario Balotelli, was racially abused by the Porto fans and subsequently UEFA found Porto guilty and fined them only €20,000 (£18,000).

Man City fans have been venting their fury towards UEFA (Picture: Getty Images)
Man City fans have been venting their fury towards UEFA (Picture: Getty Images)

The fans would grow frustrated with UEFA after a match with Sporting Lisbon a few weeks later.

The Man City team returned to the pitch after half-time, 60 seconds later than due and were fined €30,000 for this offence.

However, their main cause of their anger was UEFA’s decision to fine the club £49 million and limit City’s Champions League squad for breaching Financial Fair Play rules in 2014.

To compound the fans’ frustrations, UEFA are reported to have redistributed the fine to other Champions League clubs at the time.

The club were also furious that CSKA Moscow escaped punishment in October 2014 when 300 home fans were allowed to watch a Champions League match in Russia despite UEFA ordering the game to be played behind closed doors because of a series of crowd disturbances, including racist chanting, involving CSKA supporters.

City fans were not allow allowed in the stadium.

From then on, City fans have vented their anger towards UEFA by booing the famous Champions League anthem before each game.

In October 2015, UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against City for ‘disruption of the competition anthem’ however a disciplinary panel later imposed no punishment.

Subsequently, UEFA have changed their own rules on ‘disruption of competition anthem’ leaving City or any other team’s fans free to jeer the anthem if they wish to.

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