A very special meeting between Xavi Hernández and Pavel Horváth in Plzen
Football can be a funny old game! On 19 October 2011, FC Barcelona met Viktoria Pilsen in a Champions League clash, a game that the Catalans won 2-0 thanks to goals from Andrés Iniesta and David Villa. The Viktoria captain that day was midfielder Pavel Horváth, who has kept a memento of that match ever since.
Captain to captain
His opposing captain that day was Xavi Hernández, standing in for Carles Puyol, who was on the bench. Both Xavi and Pavel Horváth played the full 90 minutes that day.
When the game was over, the rival captains swapped shirts. And now, eleven years later, they are about to go head-to-head once again.
Special moment
Xavi is now coach of Barça and Horváth is assistant boos for the Czechs. And the latter made a point at this Monday's media sessions of showing the shirt to the visiting manager. He has kept it ever since. It was a very special moment when Xavi signed the shirt for a man who clearly has nothing but respect for one of the greatest players ever to grave the game.
Group H in 2011
Barça ended up topping that Champions League, with AC Milan qualifying in second place. Viktoria finished third with BATE Borisov bottom. Barça won the game in the Czech Republic, which was played in Prague, 4-0 thanks to a hat-trick from Leo Messi and one goal from Cesc Fàbregas. Xavi was rested for that match, but Horváth once again played the full game.
