Pep Guardiola sends clear message to Manchester City supporters over ticket price increases | OneFootball

Manchester City supporters growing increasingly frustrated over ticket prices and strategy deployed by the club have received a message from Pep Guardiola.

It comes after weeks of anger and growing public gestures from supporters on the ground and on social media in the direction of the club over their strategy when it comes to ticketing decisions made in consecutive seasons.

Such has been the anger among fans that a mass walkout of the opening nine minutes of action against Leicester City was conducted successfully, in protest against the club signing off on a ninth official ticket resale partner in Viagogo.

Days later, and following a meeting between Manchester City and ‘City Matters’ – an official fan representative group, the club announced their decision to freeze the cost of general admission season tickets and match-by-match Premier League tickets for the 2025/26 season.

A statement from the club on the matter read, “This follows the Club’s latest consultation meeting with its elected fan engagement programme, City Matters, and reflects the positive and constructive dialogue that has taken place over recent weeks.”

Speaking during a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola also told supporters of his belief that Manchester City is a club dependant on its core fanbase standing by the organisation from its days at Maine Road.

“This is a football club that depends because we have our fans. Not now, since Maine Road, since a long, long time ago,” Guardiola said. “Football clubs belong to the people, and the people are not in agreement with something – like the same when they applaud, when in the last eight years when we won what we won because we have incredible players to achieve what we achieved – and when they boo, because they are unsatisfied for our performance.”

The Manchester City boss continued on the subject of the club’s support, “Imagine going to the stadium with no fans, and nobody there? But not just here, in all the stadiums, it would not make sense, or going there and nobody watches on TV. So it doesn’t make sense our job.

“We should close the door! And of course, they can legitimately express their concerns and their feelings with the club and the club is open to listen to them and try to arrive in an agreement that everybody can be satisfied.

“The only thing I can say: I NEED THEM! WE NEED THEM! We need the fans close to the games and support us, and in the bad moments be there because we are playing for a lot.

“But who am I to say – not here when I was in Barcelona, when I was in Bayern Munich as a manager – don’t be in agreement with the people who can express what they want to express. I can have my opinion, but that is irrelevant. It’s not important.”

A statement issued by Manchester City surrounding their decision to freeze prices of season tickets and individual Premier League match tickets also thanked ‘City Matters’ for their work on the subject over recent weeks.

“The Club would like to thank City Matters representatives for the feedback they provide on a range of topics relating to ticketing, and for sharing a broad range of perspectives from the fans they represent,” the Club said on Wednesday morning.

The statement also continued, “The Club and City Matters will continue their ongoing discussions and consultations throughout the coming months around the evolution of the fan experience on matchday in the redeveloped and expanded Etihad Stadium.”