Source: REUTERS/David Klein
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, in the FA Cup match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City held at Wembley Stadium (which can accommodate 90,000 people), the attendance was only 72,976 people. Of the 36,230 tickets allocated to Manchester City fans, only 27,000 were sold. Manchester City fans pointed out that ticket prices (ranging from 30 to 150 pounds), round-trip travel costs to London, meal expenses, and the 16:30 kickoff time on Sundays are the main reasons for the low attendance. Some Manchester City fans plan to protest further in the upcoming Premier League match against Wolves, criticizing the club for refusing to increase the number of season ticket holders. This season also marks the third consecutive year that Manchester City has reached the FA Cup final, with Pep Guardiola’s team experiencing a successful era in FA Cup history; since the reconstruction of Wembley Stadium in 2007, Manchester and its fans will make their 29th trip to this national stadium to watch the final against Crystal Palace on May 17. It seems that Manchester City, due to its own success, has become a victim, causing fans to suffer from “Wembley fatigue.” Calls to move the semifinals to another neutral venue are growing louder.