Organisers of an exhibition football match between former Real Madrid and Barcelona stars have issued an apology, after arrangements for a meet-and-greet session with veteran players reportedly left some fans disappointed.
On Friday, Real Madrid fans complained they paid HK$6,880 to meet the La Liga legends but were unable to get their autographs and take photos with them.
According to organisers, fans could purchase an "experience set" that included a ticket to the star-studded match at Hong Kong Stadium, an autograph session with either one of the teams in the morning, and other merchandise items.
The Real Madrid Hong Kong Fans Club said "an unpleasant incident" happened at the meeting and had notified the police.
The club also accused the organisers of not following through with their remedial measures such as arranging for a group photo to be taken before the match, and that fans were unable to hand their own memorabilia directly to the players for a signature.
In an apology on Saturday, organisers said they're keeping in close contact with the fans club and those affected to "properly handle relevant matters."
"Regarding the issue that arose in [Friday's] signing event, we have done our best to deal with it immediately and are proactively working out solutions with affected fans and related parties," they said.
"We are aware that this incident has aroused public attention, and we deeply apologise for the inconvenience and confusion caused."
Organisers also vowed to make better arrangements to avoid similar situations from happening again.