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Manchester City players have promised to refund ticket costs for fans who traveled to the Arctic Circle to watch their team suffer a shocking 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League.
The loss marked one of the most humiliating results in City’s history, as the Norwegian side celebrated their first-ever Champions League group-stage victory. With a population of just 55,000—barely enough to fill a fraction of City’s Etihad Stadium—the financial and competitive gap between the clubs is immense.
City’s players have agreed to reimburse the 374 supporters who made the arduous journey to the tiny Aspmyra Stadion, where tickets cost around £25 ($33) each.
In a statement released Wednesday, the club’s captains—Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland—said:
“Our supporters mean everything to us. We know the sacrifice that our fans make when they travel across the world to support us, home and away, and we will never take it for granted. They are the best fans in the world.
“We also recognise that it was a lot of travelling for the fans who supported us in the freezing cold throughout a difficult evening on the pitch. Covering the cost of these tickets for the fans who travelled to Bodo is the least we can do.”
The defeat continues a troubling run for City. Their only wins in the past seven games came in the FA Cup third round against third-tier Exeter and in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final against Newcastle. The team has yet to secure a Premier League victory this year, with last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United leaving them seven points behind leaders Arsenal.
The gesture was warmly received by Kevin Parker, a representative of City’s official supporters club.
“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. Bodo is not an easy place to get to, and the sub-zero temperatures made it a challenging evening for our fans,” Parker said.
“The City support has an incredible connection with the players on match days, and this gesture is yet another reminder of that relationship — it means a lot to us.”
The refund underscores the players’ recognition of their fans’ loyalty and the extraordinary lengths they go to support the club, even in the most unlikely of settings.
