Manchester City players will reimburse fans’ ticket expenses for those who traveled to the Arctic Circle to see a disappointing 3-1 loss to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.
The city experienced one of the most humbling outcomes in their history on Tuesday when the Norwegian underdogs secured their first Champions League group-stage win.
The complete population of Bodo, totaling 55,000, could almost accommodate the space of the city’s Etihad Stadium, whereas the economic disparity between the two clubs is significant.
City players have consented to cover the ticket expenses for the 374 fans who traveled to the match.
Tickets for the match at the small Aspmyra Stadion are priced at approximately £25 ($33) each.
A message released on Wednesday by the city’s captain group, which includes Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland, stated, “Our supporters mean everything to us.
“We know the sacrifice that our fans make when they travel across the world to support us home and away, and we will never take it for granted. They are the best fans in the world.
“We also recognize that it was a lot of travelling for the fans who supported us in the freezing cold throughout a difficult evening for us on the pitch.
“Covering the cost of these tickets for the fans who travelled to Bodo is the least we can do.”
The only victories in City’s last seven games have come in the FA Cup third round against third-tier Exeter and the opening leg of the League Cup semi-final against Newcastle.
They have yet to win a Premier League match this season, and last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United left them seven points behind leaders Arsenal.
Kevin Parker, a spokesperson of the city’s official supporters group, hailed the reimbursement gesture.
“Manchester City fans will travel to the ends of the earth to support our team, and last night was no different in the Arctic Circle,” Parker said.
“Bodo is not an easy place to get to, and the sub-zero temperatures made it a challenging evening on a number of levels for our fans.
“The City support has an incredible connection with the players on a match day, and this gesture is yet another reminder of that relationship — it means a lot to us.”
