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City fans free to jeer UEFA after rule tweak

MANCHESTER City supporters are free to boo the Champions League anthem without landing the club in trouble after it emerged UEFA have amended their rules on the matter.

City fans have vented their frustration with UEFA over a number of issues by jeering the pre-match music in recent years.

It came to a head in October 2015 when UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against City for ‘disruption of the competition anthem’ before a Champions League match against Sevilla, although a disciplinary panel later imposed no punishment.

UEFA were bound by their own rules to take action against any booing of the anthem but changes to those regulations took effect from July 1, leaving City fans free to continue demonstrating.

The main cause of their anger was UEFA’s decision to impose a £49million fine and limit City’s Champions League squad for breaching Financial Fair Play rules in 2014, with City seeing FFP as an attempt to block their entry into Europe’s elite.

The frustration among City fans dates back to 2012 when Porto were fined only £18,000 after their fans racially abused Mario Balotelli, but City were hit with a £27,000 fine a month when their players were a minute late for the second half against Sporting CP.

Meanwhile, City are confident they have not breached UEFA regulations despite spending a record £216m in this summer’s transfer window.