The Champions League final is no different: every stadium in the world has the odd solo seat away from the group.
So competition sponsors Heineken decided to remind one fan sitting in a solitary seat away from the rest of the Puskas Arena during Saturday’s final that, as per their latest campaign slogan, fans really do have more friends.
When Forest Robinson won a competition courtesy of The Padded Seat to watch Paris Saint-Germain beat Arsenal on penalties, he certainly wasn’t banking on Xavi Hernandez turning up to greet him.
In one of the most extraordinary competition twists that FourFourTwo have seen for a while, Heineken located the most isolated viewing spot from the Puskas for poor Forest to sit along… but not for long.
As if by magic, Xavi appeared to greet the competition winner, before the pair were whisked off to the Skybox for the best seats in the house.
“As a player, some of my best memories in football came from sharing big moments with teammates and fans,” Xavi said.
“The Champions League Final is the biggest stage in club football, and you never know who the game might bring you together with along the way. It was special to help Heineken turn Forest’s seat into an experience they will never forget, and to show the power football has to connect people who may only have met because of the match.”
Yeah, we’re really hoping the pair remain mates.
In the end, PSG triumphed over Arsenal on penalties, with the French giants retaining their trophy – with Xavi actually present at the Gunners’ last Champions League final defeat two decades ago as part of the Barcelona contingent that night.
“A few years ago, I went to a game with friends, but we were split up in the stadium and I found myself sitting alone among supporters of another team,” Nabil Nasser, Global Head of Heineken, said.
“What could have felt like an isolated experience became one of the best I have ever had in a stadium, because I was completely swept up in the passion, humour and energy of the fans around me.”
With a final attendance of just over 67,000, a memorable moment began with just a solo seat: fans really do have more friends than they think…
