Aston Villa are facing a backlash over ‘eye-watering’ ticket prices for their Champions League campaign.
The Midlands club are accused of refusing a request from their own fan board to cap prices for their return to Europe’s top competition for the first time in 42 years after they announced adult tickets would start at £70.
Unai Emery’s side face four home games in the league phase – against Bayern Munich, Bologna, Juventus and Celtic.
Season ticket holders will have to stump up between £70 and £82 to watch Unai Emery’s side, depending on where they sit in the ground, while non-season ticket holders must pay between £85 and £97 – more than £1 a minute. Under-18s prices range from £20 to £97.
Tickets for the Champions League final at Wembley in June started at £60.
Villa Park will host Bayern Munich, Bologna, Juventus and Celtic in the Champions League
Aston Villa Supporters Trust (AVST) say they met with the club last season to discuss ticketing and requested Champions League prices should be capped no higher than a Category A game, which were between £48 and £80.
It also comes after supporters attending the Premier League opener with Arsenal were left queuing for over an hour at the turnstiles and claims of overflowing toilets.
‘For the club to announce Champions League ticket prices well above this season’s Category A is extremely disappointing, especially given the recent match day experience with delays of over 30 minutes getting into the ground, issues with access to seating and toilet facilities,’ read an AVST statement.
‘Loyal Villa fans who’ve waited as long as 40 years to celebrate this momentous season are being punished and exploited at the expense of the club’s compliance to PSR, ESR and publicly known revenue generation targets.
Villa fans were forced to queue for more than an hour before a recent game against Arsenal
‘The trust fears the club will alienate fans with these prices and urges the club to rethink ahead of the first home match against Bayern Munich in October.’
‘Some truly eye-watering prices from Aston Villa for their first European Cup campaign in decades,’ added the Football Supporter’s Association.