Manchester City's Etihad Stadium recorded over 20,000 empty seats for their Champions League match against AEK Athens, with an official attendance of 40,042 against the enlarged stadium's 61,038 capacity. The 5-1 victory drew attention to the turnout, prompting manager Enzo Maresca to respond to questions about the sparse crowd.
Attendance figures in context
Tuesday's attendance exceeded that of last month's Carabao Cup win against Championship side Norwich, but came days after a stadium record crowd of 60,817 watched City beat Ipswich in the Premier League. That figure generated far less discussion on social media than the AEK turnout.
"I think the ones in the stadium were good," Maresca said when questioned about the turnout. "The last game against Ipswich they were top and next week two games against Brighton and I've no doubt the environment will be good again."
Fixture congestion and costs
This was City's third home fixture within six days. In a newly restructured Champions League featuring four home matches in the league phase plus a possible four additional knockout ties, the arrival of Greek champions AEK represented the least enticing prospect for supporters forced to be selective about their visits.
Adult tickets for the match started at £30, a reasonable price for a European fixture, but the expense of attending several home games in quick succession soon mounts up. City still have two further home matches remaining this month, totalling five in 18 days.
Upcoming fixtures and pricing
City host Brighton in the Carabao Cup next week, with adult tickets priced from £20 and kids-for-a-quid deals on offer due to the half-term break, with a sizeable crowd anticipated as a result. The Seagulls return the following Saturday in the Premier League when prices begin at £43.
Travel, food, weather, the option of watching on television and a host of other factors influence supporters' decisions to varying degrees. Evenings like Tuesday may prompt swift jibes from rival supporters on social media, but they represent only a snapshot of a broader picture that is nothing new at City and affects plenty of other top-flight clubs.
Tickets, tourist fans, kick-off times, pricing strategies and modern football all contribute to supporter decision-making across the country. City may be the target of ridicule, but there is considerably more to this debate than linking empty seats and the 115 charges case into a throwaway comment or two on social media.
