Manchester City players have committed to refunding the ticket costs for 374 loyal supporters who endured a challenging trip to the Arctic Circle, only to witness a humbling 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.
The unexpected loss on Tuesday marked one of the most disheartening results in City’s recent history, as the Norwegian minnows secured their inaugural Champions League group-stage victory. The financial disparity between the two clubs is vast, with Bodo’s entire population of 55,000 barely fitting into City’s Etihad Stadium.
The decision to reimburse the £25 tickets for the match at the compact Aspmyra Stadion was announced in a statement on Wednesday by City’s captaincy group, including Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland.
“Our supporters mean everything to us,” the statement read. “We acknowledge the sacrifices our fans make, travelling across the world to support us both home and away, and we will never take that for granted. They are truly the best fans in the world.”
The captains also recognised the arduous journey and the “freezing cold throughout a difficult evening for us on the pitch,” adding that “covering the cost of these tickets for the fans who travelled to Bodo is the least we can do.”
This gesture comes amidst a challenging period for City, who have secured only two wins in their last seven games: an FA Cup third-round victory against League One side Exeter and a League Cup semi-final first-leg win over Newcastle. They are yet to win a Premier League match this year, and last weekend’s lacklustre 2-0 defeat to Manchester United leaves them seven points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
Kevin Parker, a representative of City’s official supporters club, welcomed the refund. “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 commented. “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.”
