Advertisement

UEFA charges Liverpool after fans vandalize Manchester City bus

By Alex Butler
The Manchester City team bus is hit by bottles and cans as it arrives prior to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between FC Liverpool and Manchester City on April 4 at Anfield Road in Liverpool, Britain. Photo by Peter Powell/EPA-EFE
The Manchester City team bus is hit by bottles and cans as it arrives prior to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between FC Liverpool and Manchester City on April 4 at Anfield Road in Liverpool, Britain. Photo by Peter Powell/EPA-EFE

April 5 (UPI) -- Liverpool fans trashed the Manchester City bus during its arrival at Anfield before the Premier League squads faced off in the Champions League quarterfinals.

UEFA has charged the English club in disciplinary proceedings for setting off fireworks, throwing objects, crowd disturbances and acts of damage, according to the BBC and Sky Sports. The case will be heard on May 31. Liverpool called for a different bus to get home.

Advertisement

No Liverpool players or team staff were hurt during the sequence, but two police officers were injured.

"The charges of acts of damage and crowd disturbances relate to incidents involving the Manchester City team bus," a UEFA spokesperson told the BBC.

Merseyside Police have asked people to send in footage of the bus attack.

The Reds won Wednesday's matchup 3-0, getting goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane heading into the second leg on Tuesday at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England.

Before the game, fans crowded the Sky Blues' bus, launching beer bottles and cans at the vehicle and even breaking some windows. Lit flares sent smoke throughout the area.

Advertisement

City manager Pep Guardiola told reporters that he "doesn't understand" why the bus came under attack.

He also said the police knew the attack was going to happen.

"They have to affect to them. Not to us," Guardiola said.

Liverpool issued a statement about the event on Wednesday.

"The club condemns in the strongest possible terms the scenes which preceded our Champions League quarterfinal, which resulted in damage being inflicted on the Manchester City team bus during their arrival at Anfield," the statement said.

"We apologize unreservedly to Pep Guardiola, his players, staff and officials caught up in the incident. The behavior of a number of individuals was completely unacceptable and the club will cooperate fully with the authorities to identify those responsible. The priority now is to establish the facts and offer Manchester City whatever support is necessary."

Latest Headlines