‘I understand’ – Pep Guardiola joins calls to bring back popular FA Cup feature
PEP GUARDIOLA made a fresh call to switch FA Cup semi-finals from Wembley to help out cash-strapped fans.
Manchester City face Nottingham Forest on Sunday in the last four, a seventh straight appearance at this stage.
But about 5,000 City tickets are unsold for what is their 28th trip to the redeveloped national stadium, while Forest’s 36,000 swiftly sold out.
Guardiola has sympathy for fans priced out of yet another trip south.
And the Spaniard called for a return to staging semis at neutral grounds in the country.
Asked if it was unfair to always make fans travel 200 miles from Manchester to London, he said: “Yes, one day in the FA Cup maybe we will play them in the north.
“Maybe they will come to Old Trafford, Etihad, Anfield or Goodison, perhaps they will come here.
“I understand people all around the world are suffering economically, it’s not easy for them.
“We’d love it if they could be there and will play for the ones who come and the ones who would like to but cannot.
“They can’t but I’m sure they’d love to – it’s just that it’s not possible for them. I’m close enough to them to understand it.”
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Only Chelsea, with 30 trips, have been to Wembley more since 2007.
City are closing in on a tenth visit in four years.
The 4.30pm kick-off is another issue as extra-time and penalties would be a big problem for fans travelling by train.
Guardiola added: “I know they’d come but the situation is difficult.
“For travel, work on Monday, maybe they will get back late.
“The prices, all the tickets . . . people cannot afford it.”