Aston Villa’s Supporters Trust has called for the club to rethink its ‘extremely disappointing’ Champions League ticket pricing.
Villa will compete in Europe’s premier tournament for the first time in 41 years this campaign after finishing fourth in the Premier League table last season and progressing through their qualification round.
They have been drawn against the likes of Bayern Munich, Leipzig and Juventus in the new-look group stage, which will see teams play eight different opponents – four home and four away.
Excitment has been high among Villa fans ahead of the kick off of the competition in a couple of weeks, but spirits were somewhat dampened when ticket prices for home matches were confirmed on Wednesday.
Tickets will cost as much as £97 for a home fixture – £82 for season ticket holders – with the cheapest tickets for adults setting back season ticket holders £70.
Aston Villa Supporters Trust have called for the club to lower ‘extremely disappointing’ Champions League ticket prices
Villa will compete in Europe’s premier competition for the first time in 41 years this season
In an official statement, the Supporters Trust wrote: ‘As part of the Fans Advisory Board, the AVST met with the club towards the end of last season to discuss season ticket prices including the Champions League if we were to qualify, and made clear pricing should be no higher than that of a Category A game if we did.
‘For the club to announce Champions League ticket prices well above this season’s Category A is extremely disappointing, especially given the recent matchday experience with delays of over 30 minutes getting into the ground, [and] issues with access to seating, toilet facilities.
‘When compared to other English clubs in the Champions League this year and indeed UEFA’s own away ticket price cap, today’s announcement is our of touch.’
Tickets not in wheelchair bays have been split into five pricing categories, ranging from 1888 seating – seats that run alongside the directors box at Villa Park at the top of the Trinity Road Stand – to zone four seats.
The premier seats will cost £97 no matter the punter, and will be £82 for season ticket holders.
The remaining tickets are distributed into zones, with a regular adult ticket costing £94 in zones one and two and £85 in zones three and four.
General Category A tickets are priced at £78 in zone one for adults, and as low was £55 in zone four.
Over-66 or Under-21 tickets have been priced at £94 for zone one, £83.50 for zone two, and £75 for zones three and four. Armed forces tickets have been priced slightly more expensive in all zones bar zone one.
Under-18 tickets will cost fans £94 in zone one and £30 in all other zones, with general season ticket pricing £10-£15 cheaper in each category.
Away tickets in the Champions League have been capped at just over £50 by UEFA.
Villa will take on the likes of Bayern Munich and Juventus at home in the competition this year
Their fortunes have improved dramatically under Unai Emery and they reached the top four of the Premier League last season
Fans have criticised the move on social media, with one posting: ‘A disgrace to the loyal fans who came when were absolutely not worth watching, fix up.’
Another added: ‘At those prices the Bayern game will sell out as it’s the first one. Bologna won’t. Juve will be close. Celtic will depend on if we need a result by that stage. Seeing empty seats in our first Champions League campaign is going to look very silly by the club.’
A third posted: ‘Pricing out a majority of fans. Me and dad have absolutely loved going to the Villa over the years (maybe not so much with some of our performances during those times) but for both of us to go with everything else included in that, it’s now an unaffordable luxury.’
Villa will face Bayern, Juventus, Celtic and Bologna at home in the group stage, kicking off their campaign against Young Boys on September 17.
