Pep Guardiola put Manchester City‘s Treble down to animalistic support at home that helped humble the best teams in Europe.
City racked up an aggregate score of 16-2 against Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Liverpool towards the end of last season as they etched their names into legend. Real midfielder Federico Valverde named the Etihad Stadium as the most difficult he has ever played in.
Tuesday night’s Champions League game with RB Leipzig is a sell-out again, with City needing a point to secure top spot in Group G.
But manager Guardiola has called on fans to bring the noise more consistently, while admitting that sustaining a good atmosphere is a two-way street.
‘The games last season – semi-finals, quarter-finals, important games like against Arsenal when we played for the title – they were there like animals and we need that,’ Guardiola said.
Pep Guardiola wants Man City’s fans to bring the noise and become ‘animals’ once again
Guardiola has issued his latest plea to supporters ahead of a clash against RB Leipzig in Europe
‘To be successful we need our fans all the time. Being together we are stronger. We love doing it together.’
A by-product of City’s success during Guardiola trophy-laden seven years has been a gradual increase in one-off supporters.
Generational talent Erling Haaland is building a cult following the way Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi did, and that has been a huge contributing factor.
It has seen commercial revenues skyrocket but has, at times, left regular fans struggling for tickets.
For the 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Saturday the ground was filled with a high percentage of half-and-half scarves, and Guardiola was seen geeing up the Colin Bell Stand and said that the early kick-off had not helped the atmosphere.
Guardiola was seen gesturing to the Colin Bell Stand to gee them up in the Liverpool match
The sell-outs are a major positive for City, yet the make-up of those inside the stadium does feel like having the potential to be a problem for the team.
All home tickets went on sale to club members in July and sold out within hours.
Mail Sport knows of fans who briefly forgot the sale had started, only to find that they had missed out on all 19 Premier League matches later in the day.
‘The stadium is full all the time and we have to play as well as possible and create as much as possible to energise and make our people with us,’ Guardiola added.
Midfield playmaker Kevin De Bruyne will remain a spectator for a further month after the City boss ruled him out of the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
De Bruyne was in Abu Dhabi for Sunday’s Formula One Grand Prix and has been seen in various social media videos as he enjoys his break away from the game.
The 32 year-old is expected to begin training in December after hamstring surgery, but will not be rushed back.
There is a growing cult of one-off matchday fans heading to City to see Ering Haaland (left)
There is a feeling the Belgian wanted to return too soon after suffering an injury during June’s Champions League final against Inter. He featured for 89 minutes before breaking down at Burnley in August.
‘It will be a happy New Year for everyone,’ Guardiola said. ‘Kevin is not 21 any more and unfortunately he had this injury.
‘He has to recover and take a step back again. Recover well, prepare well and I’m not expecting after one week that he will be perfect. He needs time.
‘From the beginning or from the bench he is always a good weapon for us.’
