Manuel Pellegrini: Carry on booing! Manchester City boss backs fans in UEFA Champions League anthem row

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Carry on booing! City boss Pellegrini backs fans in UEFA anthem row
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Manchester City fans booed Champions League anthem before Sevilla tie
Supporters boo the song partly due to City's £50m UEFA fine in 2013
UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against club over jeering
But Manuel Pellegrini said the City faithful have a right to their opinion
Read Martin Samuel's thoughts on UEFA's decision to act against fans

Published: 09:25 EST, 23 October 2015 | Updated: 16:42 EST, 23 October 2015

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Manuel Pellegrini has stood up for the right of Manchester City fans to boo the Champions League anthem in protest at UEFA.

City are facing a charge from European football’s governing body after supporters once again jeered the official pre-match music before Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League win over Sevilla.

Pellegrini insisted that fans who pay to watch football should be free to make their feelings known as long as it is done in a decent manner. The City boss, whose side face Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow, claimed that showing disapproval of UEFA and their anthem was no different from booing players, managers or the referee.

Manchester City fans booed the UEFA Champions League anthem at the Etihad Stadium on Wendesday

UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings, but City boss Manuel Pellegrini said fans have a right to boo

‘I think everyone has the right to express what they feel, with order and respect,’ he said. ‘I don’t know why UEFA think that about our fans. ‘But it’s the same for the manager, the players and the referee — they pay for their tickets and can express what they feel with respect.’

City fans have been unhappy with UEFA’s treatment of their club for some time, in particular a £50million fine last year for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations. An investigation into the booing will be heard by a disciplinary panel next month.

Pellegrini added: ‘I always say to my players that the fans boo for a reason. Maybe sometimes fans can make mistakes and boo a player or manager for one action. But it’s difficult to think all the fans are making mistakes.’

The Chilean must decide whether to recall captain Vincent Kompany to his line-up at Old Trafford after leaving him on the bench for the last two games.

Pellegrini dismissed suggestions that it was punishment for Kompany playing in a Euro 2016 qualifier for Belgium against his wishes when the 29-year-old defender was still recovering from a calf injury.

City and Sevilla players walk out ahead of the playing of the official song of European premier competition

The fans boo the tune due to the £50million fine imposed by UEFA on City for breaching financial fair play rules

‘I’m not punishing Vincent and I don’t have any problem with my relationship with him,’ he said. ‘Every week I have to choose the starting XI that I think is the best, the other players must wait. After five weeks without playing or training you are not ready to play an important game. It was important for him to work some days before he returns to the team.

‘We’ll see when he’ll return. But I always say this team is better with Vincent than without him.’

The issue took another twist on Wednesday when Kompany came on as a late substitute for Kevin De Bruyne against Sevilla and Pellegrini appeared to prevent Yaya Toure from handing him the captain’s armband.

Vincent Kompany (second from right) trains with Manchester City as he looks set to return for the derby

Kompany laces up his boots as he prepares to make his return to the Manchester City first team

But Pellegrini blamed it on a mix-up over who was being replaced, saying: ‘It’s very easy to explain. Yaya was changing the armband because he thought he was leaving the pitch. But it wasn’t Yaya it was De Bruyne.’

Pellegrini also denied that City will have an advantage in tomorrow’s derby after playing at home in midweek while United had to travel to Russia to face CSKA Moscow.

‘No I don’t think it will be a key factor,’ he said. ‘Maybe if the derby was Saturday and not Sunday it would be a small advantage, but from Wednesday to Sunday I don’t think United will have any problem recovering.’