Pep Guardiola had previously asked Manchester City supporters to turn up in mammoth numbers for the match against Southampton
Over the years, despite the gargantuan amount of money poured into Manchester City, the club has just failed to achieve the stature it so yearns for.
Pep Guardiola Appeals For Large Supporters Turnout At Manchester City Match Against Southampton
While the side has managed to make its way out of the trenches of English football to become a true powerhouse in the country, the side has failed to lure the kind of supporter base which some of the biggest teams in the country have. Despite winning a slew of trophies and being laden to the brim with a worldclass side, City continue to find the concourses of the Etihad stadium deserted.
The bygone 5-3 showdown against RB Leipzig was a testament to that narrative with the home stadium once again barren despite the thriller of a contest we were served in the Champions League. While ticketing problems forced fans to skip the clash in large numbers, the reasoning failed to explain the empty stands being a reoccurring theme.
Pep Claims Comments Were Misinterpreted
Ensuing the tie, City manager Pep Guardiola had spoken about how he aspired for Manchester City supporters to turn up in scores for the forthcoming tie against Southampton. The comments seemed to be a direct jibe at the empty seats, comments which failed to resonate with City supporters.
Kevin Parker, the general secretary of City’s supporters’ club, Kevin Parker was also irked by Pep’s comments with him asking to be more understanding of the predicaments of the fans.
“I’m not sure what that’s got to do with him. He doesn’t understand the difficulties that some people might have getting to a game at the Etihad on a Wednesday evening at 8pm,” Kevin had said as he opined on Pep’s comments.
However, the City manager has refused to apologise for his comments since with him doubling down on what he had said. Speaking at his pre-match press conference today, Pep talked about how his statements were taken out of context and how he would never question the supporters’ loyalty.
“Don’t put some words in my mouth that I didn’t say. And If I’m a big, big problem… I will never be a problem for my fans, never ever.
“If I’m a problem for my fans I will make a step aside, it’s not a problem for me. But I am one of them. Since day one I tried to do my best, that’s for sure. I’m not going to apologise for one second, because I was honest,” the City manager said.