This archive report was first published on 16 September 2021.
Manchester City's poor attendance figures for Champions League home games have long been a point of contention for rival fans. However, the issue took a new turn when manager Pep Guardiola expressed his frustration with the turnout for the team's 6-3 win over RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
Guardiola's plea for bigger attendances at the Etihad Stadium was met with anger from Kevin Parker, the general secretary of Manchester City's official supporters' club. Parker argued that Guardiola should be more appreciative of the time and money supporters spend to attend games.
“He doesn’t understand the difficulties that some people might have getting to a game at the Etihad on a Wednesday evening at 8pm,” Parker said. “They’ve got kids to think of, they might not be able to afford it, there are still some Covid issues about. I don’t see why he comments on it.”
Parker added that Guardiola’s comments will only add fuel to the fire of opposition fans mocking City’s support, with some even referring to the Etihad Stadium as the ‘Emptyhad’. However, Parker insisted that the attendances are generally excellent and that there is no justification for the mocking.
