Manchester City are facing a UEFA charge, because their fans boo the Champions League anthem.

The absurd, unprecedented action – in essence a curb on the freedom of speech and protest at football matches – comes after another game in which City fans made their contempt known for those at the helm of football in Europe.

And it comes at a time when UEFA president Michel Platini is banned from football activities for 90 days, while an investigation continues into a payment of £1.35million delivered to him by tainted FIFA boss Sepp Blatter.

UEFA confirmed to Sportsmail that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against City after match officials reported the 'disruption of competition anthem' before kick-off in their match against Sevilla on Wednesday night.

Manchester City could be sanctioned over their fans booing during the Champions League anthem

City and Sevilla players walk out ahead of the playing of the official song of European premier competition

'CHAMPIONS LEAGUE': THE ANTHEM The UEFA Champions League anthem, officially named 'Champions League', was based on the GF Handel work 'Zadok the Priest' and adapted by Englishman Tony Britten after he was commissioned in 1992. The piece is performed by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra while the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus sing the lyrics in English, French and German - UEFA's official languages. THE LYRICS Ce sont les meilleures equipes (French: Those are the best teams); Es sind sie allerbesten Mannschaften (German: They are best teams); The main event Die Meister (German: The masters); Die Besten (German: The best); Les grandes equipes (French: The great teams); The champions! Une grande reunion (A great meeting); Eine große sportliche Veranstaltung (A large sport reunion); The main event Ils sont les meilleurs (They are the best); Sie sind die Besten (They are the best); These are the champions Advertisement

A UEFA spokesperson said the case will be heard by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on November 19.

UEFA are in disarray right now, with FIFA’s ethics commission announcing this week that acting president Angel Maria Villar Llona also faces a ban from football, alongside Franz Beckenbauer.

Yet in this rotten climate, UEFA have decided to pursue Manchester City once more – angered that the fanfare that precedes Champions League matches is not treated with due reverence.

The piece of music – adapted from Handel’s Zadok the Priest with words provided by English composer Tony Britten – is played before each Champions League fixture.

At City it has been a tradition to boo throughout – as a protest against Platini’s financial fair play rules.

City supporters feel their club were unfairly singled out when hit with a £50m fine in 2013. The fans' belief is that UEFA favoured the established elite when tying the amount an owner could spend to its existing turnover.

FFP hit the rocks following a legal challenge this year and has subsequently been greatly watered down.

Yet City’s dissatisfaction remains and the fans’ booing sums up their anger at what they see as UEFA’s attempt to bar them out of the elite. This will do little to convince them otherwise.

The protests have taken on fresh relevance recently with UEFA beset by allegations of corruption.

City fans hit out at UEFA at a time when European football's governing body is in a state of disarray

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring the late winner to secure maximum points for the Sky Blues

Stewards step in to ensure Sevilla (right) and City fans remain separated during Wednesday's match

FIFA’s ethics commission announced this week that Franz Beckenbauer (left) and Angel Maria Villar Llona, UEFA's acting president after Michel Platini's 90-day suspension, also face a possible bans from football

Many also believe UEFA were at fault for their handling of CSKA Moscow. The Russian club received what some believed to be a paltry fine after sections of their support racially abused City midfielder Yaya Toure in 2013. They were also ordered to close parts of their stadium.

Following further incidents, the game between the sides the following season was supposed to be played behind closed doors, despite City supporters not being at fault.

Further salt was then rubbed into the wounds when a large number of vocal home fans attended the game. It is believed they secured tickets through media passes and sponsorship allocations.

City played out a disappointing 2-2 draw against fierce backing for the hosts from vocal fans in the main stand which, with no City support present, made for a peculiar environment.

Captain Vincent Kompany hit out at UEFA over the bizarre situation: 'This one really annoys me and maybe it's on top of other things as well.

A fierce pocket of CSKA support appeared in Khimki Stadium last year when it was meant to be empty

The stadium was supposed to be closed due to a UEFA sanction but 300 fans found a way in for the 2-2 draw

City and CSKA line up behind an anti-racism banner after the Russians were sanctioned over racist fans

UEFA ordered their match last year be played behind closed doors because of racist behaviour by CSKA fans

Bayern Munich fans at the Emirates for their match against Arsenal on Tuesday show banners protesting matches being played behind closed doors after they too suffered from a ban imposed on CSKA supporters

'You say "No fans" then all of a sudden you turn up and basically the only team that hasn't got fans is Man City.

European Convention on Human Rights, Article 10: Freedom of expression 1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises. Advertisement

'So who's getting punished? Who is being done for racism? Man City or Moscow, you know?'

The Russian club weren't allowed to sell tickets for the Etihad fixture but no action was taken against the club for the match at Arena Khimki.

Some City fans also believe UEFA's seeding system protects established clubs and has hampered their cause.