Ex- Barcelona Captain and Legendary defender, Carles Puyol otherwise known as “The Wall” is in Nigeria today for the UEFA Champions League Tour presented by Heineken.
The three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League is set to lead a football squad of the chairman team in a friendly encounter with a Shine Shine Bobo team led by former Super Eagles’ midfielder, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
The momentous match is one in the series of activities scheduled for the three-day UEFA Champions League Tour presented by Heineken. Puyol, who was Barcelona’s captain for a decade until his retirement in 2014, boasts of a well-decorated career, winning 20 honours including six La Liga trophies and three Champions League titles. The Spanish footballer was part of the squad that won the EURO 2008 and 2010 World Cup.
Puyol will, today, lead a team comprising of ex-Nigerian internationals, current NPFL wavemakers, Akwa United players and select consumers. Okocha was part of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, fondly called the “Dream Team” that won the African Nations’ Cup in 1994 and then the Olympic Gold medal at Atlanta ’96.
In addition to this spectacular match, the three-day event will start off with a press conference and a courtesy visit to the State House in Akwa Ibom. That will be followed by a City Trophy Tour in Uyo starting from Itam Road just before the much anticipated unmissable match at the Godswill Akpabio Srtadium. Later that evening, a consumer event at the Emerald Event Centre will ignite the nightlife in Uyo.
The next day, the State House Visit will be replicated in Lagos, after which Puyol and his entourage will tour the Nigerian Breweries Headquarters, Iganmu which is home to some of the most popular beer brands and Malt beverages in Nigeria. Brands like Heineken, Star, Gulder, Legend Extra Stout, Maltina, Amstel Malta amongst others. Afterwards, there will be an employee encounter event, a VVIP event and a music after party.
On April 18, the last day of the tour, Lagos football fans will be ecstatic as the City Trophy Tour comes to the city of excellence.. There will be a media house visit that same day at the Supersport office in Ilupeju. Later, at the prestigious Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, a massive consumer event will take place and then move on to an after party at the luxurious nightlife destination, Cubana.
Another interesting part of this campaign is the treat that awaits Nigerians. Twelve consumers and fans will be selected for an all-expense paid experience to watch the UEFA Champions League semi-finals and finals live in Europe.
The Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Jordi Borrut Bel expressed his excitement on this unique footballing experience, saying,