Manchester City take strict action against hundreds of fans during Real Madrid home Champions League fixture | OneFootball

Manchester City have banned 165 supporter accounts to crack down on a growing away presence among home sections of the Etihad Stadium this season.

Several match-going fans have this season taken to social media to complain of opposition fans sitting among home supporters at the Etihad, with one supporter even spotted getting a haircut during the first leg of City’s Champions League play-off tie against Real Madrid.

City’s Champions League games, in particular, have seen discounted tickets advertised on student discount platform UNiDAYS in the last few years – a growing avenue for supporters to purchase group stage tickets for as little as £15 to £20 and resell at a significantly higher price.

A detailed report by Simon Bajkowski for the Manchester Evening News has revealed City have banned 165 supporter accounts after growing concerns for home supporters’ safety – especially after a volume of Real Madrid fans spotted in the home end at the Etihad last month.

Manchester City also announced in a club statement prior to their FA Cup fifth round clash with Plymouth Argyle that the club had cancelled hundreds of tickets purchased by new ticket accounts with addresses registered in the Plymouth area.

The MEN have also revealed minutes from a meeting between the club and supporters group City Matters on ticket touting and safety of home fans at the Etihad amid a growing away presence, as witnessed in games against Manchester United, Feyenoord and Liverpool.

Minutes from the aforementioned meeting have detailed that Manchester City have suspended 354 ticketing accounts this season, with 154 of those suspended solely after various incidents were reported to the club from the home leg against Real Madrid.

Manchester City have further told the Manchester Evening News newspaper that any supporter in breach of the terms of their ticketing account would be banned from the Etihad Stadium.

The club have further intimated that they did not have jurisdiction to remove away fans from the home end during the Real Madrid game at the Etihad Stadium, as UEFA rules state that the away team has authority over the ticketing practices of their supporters at away grounds.