Arsenal fan gets late Christmas gift as Granit Xhaka makes up for postponed Wolves fixture with match invite
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Published 27/12/2021 at 20:26 GMT
A lifelong Arsenal fan has a second chance to see his team play after Granit Xhaka heard of his 7000-kilometre trip ending with their match with Wolves being postponed due to Covid-19. The Arsenal midfielder sought to make amends with a personal invitation to their upcoming match with Manchester City.
Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Arsenal at Carrow Road on December 26, 2021 in Norwich, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
An Arsenal fan from America who discovered his team’s match with Wolves had been postponed moments before he boarded his flight to London to attend has been gifted another chance to support his team in the flesh.
Jack Robinson had made the 7000-km trip from St Louis, Missouri with his wife Heather as part of their 10 year wedding anniversary celebrations, arranging the trip to the Emirates Stadium in north London six months ago.
Arsenal’s fixture against Wolves was set to take place on Tuesday night, but a combination of injuries and positive Covid-19 cases led to Wolves requesting for the fixture to be postponed.
Mr Robinson said in a tweet on Boxing Day: “This one hurts so bad, I have had this planned and booked for well over six months.
“[I’m] lost for words, sick, it’s me and my wife's 10 year anniversary, wanted to show her something special something she can remember forever.”
The couple had summer plans to watch Arsenal’s pre-season tour of America, but were disappointed when the London club cancelled due to the pandemic. It was only upon boarding the flight to the UK that they discovered the match with Wolves had been cancelled too.
Mr Robinson’s desolate tweet was seen by Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka who reached out to him with something of a consolation.
The Swiss international invited the pair to Arsenal’s match with Manchester City on 1 January as reward for his commitment to the team.
Writing in an Instagram message, Xhaka said: "Hi Jack, I just got home from the game and I have seen your tweets that you and your wife were flying over from America for our game against Wolves.
"I could see you were upset about the game being cancelled as you had waited a long time to fly over to watch us. If you are still in London on the 1st [the] Arsenal vs Manchester City game as my guest to thank you for your dedication to Arsenal. Would that be good for you?"
Mr Robinson responded to accept the Arsenal man’s offer, saying:
Words can't express how I feel at this time, you reaching out to us... you don't understand what this means.
He later thanked Xhaka and the club on Twitter: “I can’t even begin to say how speechless I am with this club, this means the absolute world to me and my wife. Absolute dream. I can’t thank Granit Xhaka enough for reaching out and coming through like the hero he is.”
Arsenal currently occupy the final Champions League spot after a thumping win over league-straggler Norwich.
The fortunes of a season which started with three successive losses seem to have turned, as they racked up a fourth successive victory.
Xhaka wasn’t central to the action at Carrow Road but did provide one of the day’s most unnecessary moments of showboating as he controlled the ball with his back with ten yards of space all around him.
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