The booing of the UEFA Champions League anthem by Manchester City fans at the Etihad Stadium has been a common occurrence, reflecting their dissatisfaction with UEFA. This disapproval stems from incidents such as the 2011/12 season, when Porto fans racially abused Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure, resulting in a meager fine for the club. In contrast, City faced a hefty fine and strict sanctions for minor infractions, leading to increased hostility towards UEFA. Furthermore, City’s ban from the Champions League was met with resentment, especially when around 300 CSKA fans were allowed in the stadium while City fans were barred.
Although the ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), City was still fined for breaching Financial Fair Play rules. The CAS acknowledged City’s failure to cooperate with the investigation but found UEFA’s claims of inflated sponsorship income unproven. City denies the charges. The contentious history between Manchester City and UEFA has resulted in the consistent booing of the Champions League anthem by City fans, representing their ongoing grievance with the governing body.
