Pep Guardiola promises to “help” in response to Manchester City supporters’ letter over ticket policy | OneFootball

Manchester City supporter groups who issued an open letter to Pep Guardiola this week regarding the club’s ticketing policy have now received a response from the head coach.

Formal communication from supporter groups has followed two rounds of protesting and demonstrations against the club’s strategy on season tickets and the reluctance to introduce more to fans despite the stadium’s capacity increasing further in 2026.

It also comes at a time when matchday ticket prices continue to inflate with the recent home clash with Aston Villa seeing adult access priced at up to £88 and child tickets hitting upwards of £58, while the club continue to side with third-party resellers such as Viagogo.

Speaking after the win over Unai Emery’s side at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola told reporters that he was “on the side of the people” and that he “understood the feeling” from City supporters on the matter.

An open letter penned by four Manchester City supporter groups was then issued across social media this week, in which a plea to the club’s manager was sent out including a request to directly speak with the club’s CEO Ferran Soriano.

Now, speaking to the media during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Premier League clash with Wolves, Guardiola was quizzed on the letter concerning the club’s ongoing controversial ticketing policy.

“I responded in the last weeks on the same issues,” Guardiola said. “They can express what they feel as a group to go all together, and if they have some issues they want to express, the club is here – always has been and always will be open – to listen to what they think.”

It comes as Manchester City supporters plot a new protest against the club’s ticket strategy during the opening moments of Friday night’s clash with Wolves at the Etihad Stadium, to which Guardiola reacted, “Come to help us!”

He continued, “We need them, because the fans want next season to play in the Champions League and be a better team than we have been in this competition this season, to try to be what we have done for many, many years in the last years.

“So we need them, desperately! Come to help us until the first minute until the end!”

As part of the letter issued to the Manchester City manager, supporter groups requested that Guardiola raised the matter directly with his close friend and colleague Ferran Soriano, with the club’s chief executive officer at the forefront of the club’s directive on the matter.

“If I can help, I will help. Definitely,” Guardiola promised. “I’m part of this club, from the bottom to the top. But I’m the manager, I do what I have to do to try help the team to play as best as possible. It’s all I can do.”

Ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Wolves on Friday night in the Premier League, fan organisation 1894 Group are planning a further protest as they urge supporters to remain on the concourse at the Etihad Stadium until the sixth minute.

That marks the number of years since Manchester City last issued new season tickets to supporters despite the capacity of the stadium increasing by almost 9,000 in that time and is due to exceed a capacity of 60,000 fans by the midway stage of the upcoming new season.