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KYLE WALKER reckons Manchester City might have to win the Champions League to spark a love affair between their fans and Europe.
The relationship between supporters and UEFA’s flagship club competition will be as strained as ever at the Etihad tonight in the wake of the latest allegations about the club trying to get around financial fair play (FFP) regulations.
But the City full-back says it is up to the players to get fans back on side – by beating Group F rivals Shakhtar Donetsk then powering their way to glory in Madrid next May.
A big chunk of City’s support make their feelings about UEFA known at every European night, going back to the fine and sanctions dished out against the club for breaching the FFP rules in 2014.
“It is down to us as players to create the atmosphere and help the fans,” said Walker.
“They are the 12th man but we have an important job on the field to get the victory and we need to make history for this club and that is what we want to do.
“Obviously you need a great atmosphere as it makes it difficult for the opposition to play when you have got a good atmosphere.
“We do probably lack that a little bit but we have come to terms with that and we have to let our football doing the talking.”
Reports yesterday claimed the club kept payments to players for image rights off the balance sheet using a overseas shell company.
The previous day it was alleged the club’s owners had contributed their own cash to fund so-called sponsorship deals.
And while the club have given only a short response to the allegations to date, boss Pep Guardiola yesterday was quick to insist City’s success is not solely down to the cash they have thrown around.
“If people say it’s just about money we have to accept it – but that point of view is completely wrong,” he said.
“We work a lot in a good way and that’s why I always defend MAN CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Kompany, Laporte, Mendy; Fernandinho, Delph; Mahrez, D Silva, Sterling; Jesus.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK (4-5-1): Pyatov; Matvienko, Rakitsky, Kryvtsov, Ismaily; Stepanenko, Maycon, Taison, Kovalenko, Fernando; Moraes.
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3 2 0 1 6 3 6
3 1 2 0 7 6 5
3 0 2 1 6 7 2
3 0 2 1 4 7 2 MAN CITY Lyon Hoffenheim Shakhtar us, and especially my players, and what we do.”
Guardiola insisted he was out of the loop regarding the latest allegations. He added: “The club has made a statement about what happened, about stolen emails. Of course we want to follow the rules.
“We want to do what we have to do in terms of the rules. But we focus on what we have to do on the pitch.” The emails seem to suggest that in 2012 the club investigated avenues to avoid non-compliance of impending FFP rules under a project known internally as ‘Longbow’.
In 2013, they came up with the idea of hiving off payments of marketing and image rights to players through an ‘independent’ third party called Fordham Sports Management, funded by City’s parent company, Abu Dhabi United Group.
While the allegations could cause City problems off the field, Guardiola and his players insist they will have little trouble focusing on the task in hand at the Etihad tonight.
Victory against Shakhtar would leave them needing a point to qualify with two matches to spare. Walker believes the squad is better equipped for the business-end of the competition this time.
He said: “We had a great chance last season but came up against Liverpool who were on fire and we had two 10 minutes of madness in the first leg which let it go. “But we have learned from that. It was a good lesson to learn and hopefully we can take it into this campaign and come with a front foot forward. “Going to Anfield in that game, we could have gone there and got a draw. Instead we had to come back to the Etihad and play on our own turf. “That is something I have definitely learned from last season and hopefully we can take it into this season.” Nicolas Otamendi and Ilkay Gundogan are in contention with Guardiola certain to have one eye on Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad.