Croatia fans hired private jet to fly to Euro 2020 clash with Czech Republic in Glasgow but ended up in Prague instead
A GROUP of Croatia fans hired a private plane to take them to Scotland for the clash with Czech Republic - only for them to watch it in Prague instead.
After the opening day defeat to England, the 2018 World Cup finalists needed something from their second Group D clash on Friday.
Patrick Schick put Czech Republic ahead at Glasgow’s Hampden Park but Ivan Perisic kept alive Croatia’s Euro 2020 hopes with a second half equaliser to earn a point.
Sebastian Jagic Njare, his brother Simo and friends Domagoj Raljevic and Luka Vojvodic decided that the game was a must-see.
And after securing match tickets, they then decided to book a private jet to fly them from Zemun Airport on Friday morning for the showdown.
But after travelling to Serbia and enjoying a smooth take off, things hit a snag once they arrived in Scotland.
“We already had tickets and were crazy with happiness, it's a Czech company, and we got a discount - it was easier to agree with them than with our women to let us go.
“When we arrived over Scotland, the pilot told us that he had just been informed that we had to leave Scottish airspace because due to the pandemic, they were not allowing us to land and arrive.
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“Man, what a disappointment that was! Firstly, we will not watch the match, and secondly, 'who will return from shame now and watch the match from Zadar? From Zemunik, maybe? Hahaha, that was out of the question.”
The Croatia fan continued: “We were thinking in the air, on the plane, where to tell the pilot to take us. And we decided to ask permission to enter the Czech Republic.
“And here we are in Prague, we watched the game there, with Czech fans.
“Everything happened to us, but we chose Prague because of the pub, Flek, where Hajduk was founded, we decided to watch the game there.
“And the pilot was OK - he came from Prague to pick us up this morning in Zemunik.”
He added: “It's no small thing to collect so much money and beg our women to let us go. And then we can't go to the game. And we are passionate fans.
“Well, here we are in Prague, and now we are having a great time.”
Croatia face Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday night in a straight shoot-out for qualification with both teams on a point apiece.
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An earlier version of this article, now amended, carried an illustrative picture of a plane operated by Air X Charter Ltd. This was not the company that provided the private plane referenced in the article. We are happy to clarify.
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