Manchester City rejected audacious player request to borrow 336 seater plane

Manchester City rejected a player request to borrow the branded Etihad plane for a trip to Ibiza following the UEFA Champions League Final victory.

Several members of Manchester City’s treble-winning squad jetted off to Ibiza upon returning to the United Kingdom after winning the UEFA Champions League in June, as celebrations took place prior to an incredible parade two days after the historic triumph.

Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish were amongst the players to travel to the Balearic Island, meanwhile Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Stefan Ortega attended a celebratory meal at a Manchester restaurant.

The group chartered a private jet for a 12-hour trip to Ibiza, after Manchester City beat Inter Milan at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium to lift the trophy for the first time in the club’s history.

Despite hiring their own plane for the journey, Jack Gaughan has revealed that Manchester City had to turndown a request from senior players to borrow the emblemed Etihad Boeing 787 jet for the Ibiza trip.

The plane, which can carry up to 336 passengers, has a customised Manchester City club-livery and was commissioned in 2019 by Etihad – the Sky Blues’ main sponsor.

Manchester City returned from Istanbul on the unique Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, becoming the first Champions League winning club to fly back on their own branded aircraft.

The plane was commissioned to mark Manchester City’s long-standing partnership with Etihad Airways, who have sponsored the club since 2009.

Manchester City started the defence of their European crown on Tuesday evening at the Etihad Stadium, beating Red Star Belgrade 3-1, courtesy of a second-half brace from Julian Alvarez and Rodri’s superb strike.

The Sky Blues, who were unbeaten throughout the competition last season, will be looking to reach back-to-back Champions League Finals, with London’s Wembley Stadium playing host to the showpiece event in 2024.

Red Star Belgrade took a shock lead ahead of the half-time break in midweek, however Alvarez netted two minutes into the second-half to cancel out Osman Bukari’s surprise goal.