Manchester City have stepped in to help out some supporters who came unstuck in Lisbon. Pep Guardiola's side thrashed Sporting 5-0 last month in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash, but while the 2500 Blues in the stadium loved the game some had flags stolen on their way to the ground by opposition fans.
The club spoke to Kevin Parker and the Official Supporters' Club to try to see what they could do about the lost flags and, having worked with any supporters who came forward, replacements were sourced and printed in time for the return fixture with Sporting on Wednesday evening. As an added bonus, two fans who were able to attend the game were handed their new flags by club ambassador Paul Dickov ahead of kick-off.
Russ Cowper, 56, from Cheadle, has been following the team home and away for as long as he can remember and counts the Jose Alvalade Stadium as one of more than 100 he has visited watching the Blues. He was sitting outside a bar when he got his new flag out to show a friend and saw it swiftly pinched by a group of lads in balaclavas who ran past and swiped it before singing Sporting songs and disappearing.
ALSO READ: Sporting Lisbon boss makes Man City prediction ahead of Champions League fixture
"It was actually its first trip," said Russ. "My flag has Portugal on it because my best mate lives in Portugal and I'm trying to convert all the locals to be City fans so I take over shirts.
"I took the flag over to them because we stayed with my mate and then got the train to Lisbon and we had the flag out the night before and were all having pictures with it. They were disappointed it was stolen as well because it reflects badly on them because the Portuguese are a proud people."
Colin Newton, 47, from Ashton-under-Lyne, has been watching City home and away since the 90s. He was also ready to showcase a new flag, celebrating "the biggest small team in the world", as part of a group of 14 that had travelled over for the game when things took a turn at the stadium.
"We had a really nice time, until I was walking round the ground and had my flag stolen. We were shown the wrong way round the ground by the police," he said.
"We got split up because there was that many people and then a lad had swiped the flag out my hand from behind. I turned round and there was about 10 of them there, so I thought there was no chance I was going to try and get it back!"
The two supporters were resigned to that being the end of their flags until they were put in touch with the club, and were then blown away by the gesture to compensate them. They will both be in attendance for the home game against Sporting, and will be travelling with them around Europe wherever City play in future.
Sign up to our City newsletter so you never miss an update from the Etihad Stadium this season.
Catch up on all the latest Blues headlines in our Man City section.
