Aston Villa‘s Moussa Diaby saved the day for a tearful young fan on Thursday night after the boy’s handmade banner asking for the attacker’s shirt was confiscated.
Before Villa played AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League, a young fan hung a beautifully hand-crafted sign near to the touchline asking for the French winger’s shirt.
However, due to a new rule in Dutch football where stadiums have banned fans from bringing in signs asking players for shirts, a steward walked over to the boy and took the banner away.
Left in tears, he was consoled by another steward as the sign was then thrown in the bin.
But, in a heartwarming gesture, the Birmingham-based club made sure the fan was granted his wish as Diaby gave him a hug at the full-time whistle and his shirt.
The young fan’s brilliant home-made banner was put near to the touchline asking for his shirt
However, due to a new rule in Dutch football, the steward took the banner and threw it away
The boy can be seen with a beaming smile on his face as he poses for a picture alongside the Villa winger with his shirt.
Many football fans complained on social media that it was completely ‘unnecessary’ for the steward to throw the sign in the bin.
One person wrote on X: ‘All the hours this kid have spent making it, looking forward and having his hopes up, brought the sign and then some man throw it in the bin.’
Another added: ‘That’s unnecessary from the stewards to throw it in the bin.’
However, after the Villa star made it up to the kid, fans were delighted with one saying: ‘Love this!’ Another also added: ‘Brilliant! Well done Villa.’
Diaby has endeared himself to supporters since his summer switch from Bayer Leverkusen with his brilliant play on-the-field and this on-the-field will only do so further.
To add to Villa fans’ joy, their side enjoyed a remarkable result on Thursday night against the Dutch team as they won 4-1 to go second in their group.
However, the young fan’s night was not all bad as he finally got to meet Moussa Diaby
The Aston Villa attacker made sure the fan’s night wasn’t ruined after their excellent 4-1 win
Ollie Watkins continued his red-hot form for Villa in a statement Europa Conference League in the Netherlands.
The striker netted his 10th goal of the season and fourth in Europe this season on Thursday.
Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemans – his first for Villa – put them in control in AZ Stadium after less than 25 minutes.
Vangelis Pavlidis wasted the hosts’ best chances but Watkins and John McGinn added more goals after the break in Holland before Ibrahim Sadiq grabbed a consolation.
It was the second time in two games Villa had scored four after their 4-1 Premier League win over West Ham on Sunday.
Unai Emery celebrated a year in charge on Tuesday and victory underlined the progress his side have made, having been floundering in 14th and three points above the relegation zone 12 months ago.
Villa host Alkmaar in two weeks knowing victory would see them take a giant leap to the knock-out stages, especially following an opening 3-2 defeat at Legia Warsaw in September.
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