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sports Diasabra 18 september 2021

Guardiola defends his plea for ‘more fans’ at Man City game

(AP) - For Pep Guardiola, into the hands of opposition Leipzig and quickly realized
it was a rallying cry ahead teams’ fans who often taunt they would need fans to get
of what he expects to be a City for not having capacity behind them against South-
tough game. crowds at some matches. ampton, given the quick
turnaround of the games
For some Manchester City “He’s absolutely the best and Southampton’s pressing
supporters, it was an ill-timed coach in the world but, in game and energetic style.
comment that questioned the the nicest possible way, I
loyalty of the club’s fan base. think maybe he should stick “When you play in the Cham-
to that,” said Parker, who pion League, it’s so demand-
A clash has broken out be- described Guardiola’s com- ing on your physicality, and
tween City’s esteemed man- ments were “disappointing mentally, when they (South-
ager and a section of the and uncalled for.” ampton) have a long week to
team’s followers after Guar- prepare the game,” Guardiola
diola’s plea for “more peo- Guardiola responded to said. “So that’s why we need
ple” to attend City’s Premier Parker on Friday in a news to be all together — the play-
League home match against conference ahead of the ers, the supporters, everyone,
Southampton on Saturday — Southampton game, saying to help us to do our best. I There are some reasons given rivals in English soccer, in-
three days after a hard-fought he would “definitely not” know exactly our fans will be for the lower European atten- cluding Manchester United
6-3 win over Leipzig in the be apologizing for his com- there tomorrow to support, dances — some fans’ disaffec- and Liverpool, are far bigger
Champions League at Etihad ments and that there had and hopefully Mr. Parker can tion with the tournament or- globally.
Stadium. been a “misunderstanding.” come to watch us. ganizer, UEFA, for what they
perceive as unfair sanctions “We are who we are. We are
The attendance against “Don’t misunderstand or “Mr. Parker,” Guardiola add- handed to, or affecting, City proud of who we are,” Guar-
Leipzig was 38,062. The Eti- put words in my mouth that ed, should “review his com- in the Champions League; diola said. “I know the histo-
had’s capacity is about 55,000. I didn’t say,” Guardiola said. ments.” City being involved in games ry, I learned about the history
“That’s what I don’t like. I in so many competitions that of this club when it was in
One of the people unhappy never will be a problem for City has struggled to fill the fans pick and choose match- the lower division, and what
with Guardiola’s remarks my fans. If I am a problem for Etihad for some home games es; the pandemic affecting it means to travel and follow
was Kevin Parker, general my fans, I will step aside. Not in the Champions League, fans’ finances; a digital ticket- the team. I respect it a lot.”
secretary of City’s official a problem for me.” especially in the first one of ing system that doesn’t allow
supporters’ club, who ac- each season’s group stage. It fans to transfer tickets to oth- City has had near-capacity
cused the Spaniard of failing Guardiola said he had seen has led to some rivals fans us- ers if they can’t attend a mid- crowds for its first two home
to understand the difficulties his players look “exhausted” ing the nickname “the Emp- week game. matches of the Premier
of attending games on a mid- in the locker room after the tyhad.” League season — 5-0 wins
week evening and playing end-to-end game against The fan bases of City’s main over Norwich and Arsenal.

At long last, Ballmer, Clippers break ground on new home

(AP) — The design meet- Finally, Steve Ballmer and ing ceremony. The practice buildings, NFL stadiums, fancy seats or the fans in the
ings have been going on the Los Angeles Clippers facility, team offices for both even the Amazon Go check- back?’” Clippers President of
for years. Technology has are ready to build their new business and basketball oper- out-free convenience stores Business Operations Gillian
evolved throughout the home. ations, retail space and more all sparked various ideas that Zucker said. “And he said,
process. Painstaking deci- will all be on the site. will be put into play at Intuit ‘yes.’ That’s what this place is
sions were made time and The Clippers’ long-awaited, Dome. all about.”
time again, right down to $1.8 billion, privately funded Ballmer, the team’s owner,
what an inch or two dif- arena officially got a name simply believes it’ll be like no “I had a lot of my own opin- Technology will be every-
ference in leg room be- Friday — Intuit Dome, it’ll other building in the NBA. ions ... and most of the things where, such as some that
tween rows would mean or be called when it opens in had some inspiration that would allow fans to leave
where cupholders should 2024, the team making that “Basketball mecca! Basket- came from someplace else,” their seat, walk to a conces-
be affixed to the seats. announcement on the day ball palazzo!” Ballmer, in his Ballmer said. sion stand in the concourse,
of the formal groundbreak- usual excitable way, said in an grab a beverage or snack and
interview with The Associ- The Clippers currently play then — if they do as Ballmer
ated Press. at Staples Center, also the hopes — get right back to
home of the Los Angeles their seat. There would be no
He might be right. Lakers and the NHL’s Los cashier, nobody to take the
Angeles Kings. Ballmer be- order, and the customer’s ac-
Every detail — from the gan plotting a Clippers-only count would be charged au-
huge halo video screen that home years ago and formally tomatically. Other than the
will hover over the court, to unveiled the project in 2019, paying-for-it part, it would
how the bathrooms will be saying then that the Clippers be akin to opening the re-
designed to get fans back in would break ground in 2021 frigerator at home, getting a
their seats as quickly as possi- and open in 2024. drink and going back to the
ble — has a purpose. The halo couch.
will include 44,000 square So far, even with a pandem-
feet of LED lighting, slightly ic and following some le- Even the best suites won’t
more than one full acre and gal challenges, he’s right on have big televisions. The rea-
roughly six times the average schedule. son is simple: Ballmer wants
size of other “big” screens in fans watching the game from
NBA buildings. The roof of “When we started the ques- their seat and being part of a
the dome was designed to ac- tions were ‘Do you want it home-court advantage.
commodate the halo, not the to be the best for sponsors?
other way around. Do you want it to be the best “It’s about the game of bas-
for musicians? Do you want ketball ... and we’re trying to
Things the Clippers have it to be the best for fans? get you back in your seat as
seen in play at German soc- And if you want it to be the quickly as we can,” Ballmer
cer stadiums, other NBA best for fans, then for the said.