Gesture from Captaincy Group
Manchester City players will fully refund ticket costs for the 374 supporters who travelled to Norway for their Champions League defeat to Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday. Each away ticket cost around £25 making the total refund £9,357 covered entirely by the squad.
The captaincy group Bernardo Silva Ruben Dias Rodri and Erling Haaland released a joint statement on behalf of the team. They emphasised that supporters mean everything to the club and never take for granted the sacrifices fans make to follow the team worldwide. They recognised the long journey and freezing conditions during a tough night on the pitch and described covering the tickets as the least they could do.
Praise from Supporters’ Club
The official supporters’ club welcomed the initiative even though few fans had publicly demanded refunds. Kevin Parker a representative noted that City fans will travel anywhere including the Arctic circle to back the team. Bodo presented logistical and weather challenges with sub-zero temperatures yet supporters showed up in force.
Parker highlighted the strong connection between players and fans on matchdays saying the gesture reinforces that bond. He acknowledged the players’ disappointment but looked ahead to the home game on Saturday where fans will create a strong atmosphere to help the team return to winning ways.
Aftermath of the Upset
The 3-1 loss ranks among the biggest upsets in Champions League history leaving City needing a victory in their final league-phase match against Galatasaray to secure a top-eight finish and avoid playoffs. Erling Haaland described the result as embarrassing and apologised directly to travelling fans in a TNT Sports interview. He praised Bodo’s outstanding performance saying it was deserved and simply offered sorry to those who made the trip.
