Pep Guardiola tells Man City fans to ‘be happy’ and not BOO the Champions League anthem – as Spaniard insists ‘what happens in the past is the past’
- Pep Guardiola doesn’t want Man City fans to boo the Champions League anthem
- Supporters have traditionally booed the pre-match song in a show of defiance
- Guardiola has told fans to ‘be happy’ at reaching the major European final
Pep Guardiola has pleaded with Manchester City supporters to ‘celebrate’ being in the Champions League final and not boo the tournament’s pre-match anthem.
City fans have made a point of booing the famous Champions League tune in recent years in a show of disapproval towards UEFA.
Antipathy against the organisation stems from a series of events that began when Porto supporters racially abused then-City striker Mario Balotelli during the 2011-12 season. The Portuguese club were fined under £20,000 for the incident.
Further anger followed just two years later when the club were found to have breached Financial Fair Play rules in 2014.
However, Guardiola wants the pre-match ritual dropped in Istanbul as his City side attempt to lift a first European trophy and clinch the famous Treble.
Pep Guardiola has told Manchester City supporters to not boo the Champions League anthem
City fans have instead been encouraged to do their famous ‘Poznan’ dance pre-match
City are attempting to land win the Champions League when they play Inter Milan on Saturday
Speaking at Friday’s press conference, the Spaniard agreed with comments made by midfielder Ilkay Gundogan earlier in the week: ‘I agree with Ilkay, it is a day to celebrate.
‘Inter fans, City fans, a day to be happy. Celebrate being here. Finish, what happens in the past is the past.
‘It’s an incredible competition, UEFA organise it, we support unconditionally what they’re doing. We aren’t going to boo again and have fun,’ added Guardiola.
City fans started their FA Cup final victory over Manchester United by doing their famous ‘Poznan’ dance pre-match and were rewarded with a goal after less than a minute with Gundogan firing past David de Gea.
Guardiola (middle) told defiant City supporters to enjoy the occasion and not boo the anthem
Earlier this week, the City captain called on his loyal fanbase to do the same again ahead of the Champions League final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
Gundogan stated: ‘Our fans are going to be so important for us again this weekend, as they always are. You only have to look at Saturday’s match at Wembley to show you how vital they are to our performance,’ the midfielder said.
‘Our fans were amazing from start to finish. Hearing them sing Blue Moon in the tunnel, the deafening atmosphere as we walked out onto the pitch to a sea of blue, the Poznan as we waited for the match to start on the pitch, it was incredible and, in my opinion, helped us score after 13 seconds.
‘To score that early was an unbelievable feeling and it felt like a reward for how amazing our fans were. Now we need them again in Istanbul.
