Patrick was outside the ground with his son Zach and nephew Jack
Comments
News
Zach Neylon
Zach Neylon
A dad and son were given free Liverpool tickets for their Champions League match with PSG after waiting outside the stadium this week.
Patrick Neylon told the ECHO how he, his son Zach and nephew Jack were outside Anfield hedging their bets to try and meet members of the PSG team ahead of their clash on today (March 11).
Article continues below
As they watched officials from the French club pay their respects at the Hillsborough memorial, they waited patiently before approaching.
Patrick, from St Helens, explained how when they spoke to Nasser al-Khelaifi, the chairman of beIN Sport and president of PSG, he asked if they had tickets to the game.
When they said they didn't, he took their number and gave it to the PR manager at the club who promptly gave them four tickets for the Champions League round of 16 second leg.
Speaking to the ECHO on his break at work as a sample prep technician, he said: "We can never get tickets through the club so this is a real one off.
"I got a text message off a woman who works for PSG with the tickets, it's amazing. You never see this from a football club, we're Liverpool fans so for PSG to do this is great."
Before getting the tickets from the president of the club, the 33-year-old had planned to watch the match on the couch at home with nine-year-old Zach, who is allowed to stay up past his bedtime if there is a Liverpool game on.
Zach Neylon with Nasser al-Khelaifi
Zach Neylon with Nasser al-Khelaifi
Instead, the pair, along with Patrick's nephew Jack, 11, and brother-in-law Andy, will be in Anfield watching the game. Patrick continued: "I couldn't believe we got the tickets, it feels like a once in a lifetime thing.
"I struggle to put it into words how much it means to Zach. He was running around with his nephew like we'd just won the Champions League."
Liverpool go into the game with a 1-0 lead after the first leg win in Paris last week. Harvey Elliott slotted home less than a minute after entering the pitch after a dominant display by the home side.
Liverpool fans will be heading to Wembley for the first time with Arne Slot as manager following the Champions League tie as the Reds prepare to take on Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
The final could see Slot deliver his first piece of silverware since taking over as manager from Jurgen Klopp, with the Carabao Cup being Klopp's last honour as manager of the club.