Kompany brands UEFA ´a joke´ over Manchester City sanctions

Vincent Kompany has branded potential UEFA sanctions against Manchester City for fans booing the Champions League anthem as “a joke”.

Sections of the City support have heckled the pre-match music in European games by way of a protest against Financial Fair Play punishments levelled at the club in recent years.

UEFA confirmed an investigation into a potential breach of the ethics code after the latest incident at the Etihad Stadium prior to the 2-1 victory over Sevilla last month.

And club captain Kompany considers any measures taken against the club to be unjust given the incidents of racial abuse still prevalent in some matches.

A punishment handed down to CSKA Moscow for racist behaviour prevented City fans from attending the sides’ meeting in Russia last season.

“It’s a joke,” said Kompany. “We have played many games in Europe where there has been racial abuse and we have had to put up with it. 

“And there have been times when we have been sanctioned in the same way as the team that was actually perpetrating those chants.

“In Moscow we weren’t allowed to have any support inside the stadium – I don’t see what our fans did wrong. I have experienced it as well when I was a kid playing at Anderlecht, certain games in Europe where you had a lot of racial abuse.

“So in that sense this is not justifiable – there is nothing holy about the Champions League anthem. If something is happening and fans are not happy about it, they are allowed to show their discontent.”