Man City and Liverpool chiefs issue joint letters ahead of Carabao clash
Man City and Liverpool chiefs issue joint letters to their fans ahead of Carabao Cup clash
Man City and Liverpool chiefs issue joint letters to their fans ahead of Carabao Cup clash
Prior to Thursday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round match, Manchester City and Liverpool’s chief executives took the unusual step of writing a joint message to their respective fan bases.
The letter signed by City CEO Ferran Soriano and Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan and asks fans of both teams to stop the “unacceptable behavior” that has marred recent games between the two.
In their most recent meeting at Anfield in October, City manager Pep Guardiola claimed he was struck by a coin thrown from the Anfield stands, Liverpool criticized City fans for singing songs about the Hillsborough tragedy, and City’s team bus was damaged as the team left the stadium after suffering a 1-0 loss.
The match was the most recent in a string of unpleasant encounters between the two, as relations between the two most successful English teams in recent years have deteriorated.
The letter urges supporters of both sides to report any incidents they see at the Etihad Stadium, with both sides pleading for calm ahead of the resumption of domestic football after the World Cup break.
The letter states:
“We write to you today on behalf of both Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC, ahead of our Carabao Cup match at the Etihad Stadium later this week.
“As with any meeting between our clubs, it promises to be a fantastic spectacle of football and we are sure that you are all counting down to kick-off with much anticipation following the break in domestic football for the World Cup.
Man City alleged that this damage was caused as their bus left Anfield in October.
“The passion and enthusiasm that we see from our fans when we play each other – at the Etihad Stadium or Anfield – is part of what makes matches between our clubs so special, and we know you are committed to creating a stadium environment where everyone is welcomed, accepted and has a fantastic matchday experience.
“Regrettably, based on recent meetings between our clubs, we also know that a minority of fans are responsible for behaviors and actions that have no place in our game.
“We are therefore writing to ask for your full support in tackling these behaviors and to ensure that both of our Clubs’ good names are preserved. You can help us by reporting any incidents via the options at the bottom of this email so they can be investigated.
“We appreciate that some fans may not be aware of the impact of their behaviors on other fans, both inside and outside the stadium, and we will continue to work with our fans on this education.
“It is however important for everyone to be aware that we are fully committed to dealing with unacceptable behaviors and will take action by issuing bans to those found to be responsible.
“We have engaged the Chairs from both our respective fan groups in our discussions and have their full backing to help create the right environment for our matches.
“If we all stand together to report the behaviors and actions that cause harm – including inappropriate gestures, chanting, throwing of objects, as well as any and all forms of discrimination – then we can all concentrate on supporting our teams.
“Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and for your commitment to help eliminate unacceptable behaviors in football.
“We hope you enjoy the match.”
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