Prince William and Prince George watched from a VIP box at the Spotify Camp Nou as Aston Villa fell to a 3–0 Champions League defeat by Barcelona on Tuesday night.
Villa had won two of their opening three games in the competition and were looking for a third victory. George has followed in his father’s footsteps as a Villa supporter and has become a familiar face at big matches, including at Villa Park.
Royal welcome at the Camp Nou
Before kick-off, Barcelona president Joan Laporta presented the pair with club shirts. Barcelona said on social media that it was 'honoured' to welcome the royals, adding: "Thank you for joining us for a special evening of Champions League football featuring your beloved Aston Villa."
Villa were behind after just seven minutes as Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead. Raphinha doubled the hosts’ lead shortly after half-time and added his second just over 10 minutes later to make it 3–0.
Villa's night to forget
The Villans kept pushing but missed several chances and were well beaten on the night. Prince William and Prince George looked frustrated as they watched from the stands.
Villa reached the Champions League quarter-finals last season, losing 5–4 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain. Unai Emery’s side lost 3–1 at the Parc des Princes before winning 3–2 at home, falling a goal short of forcing extra time.
Royal support for Villa
At the time, the Prince of Wales spoke of his delight that his elder son could 'experience a night out away from home in a big European competition.' He added: "I think those memories are really important to create, and bringing him along tonight is a big deal for me."
Last May, Prince William flew to Istanbul to watch Aston Villa beat Freiburg 3–0 in the Europa League final at Besiktaş’s stadium. He was visibly moved as Villa ended a 30-year trophy drought and was invited onto the pitch to celebrate with the players.
He said: "Amazing night!! Huge congratulations to all the players, team, staff and everyone connected to the club! 44 years since the last taste of European silverware! Special shout out to Boubacar Kamara who has been out injured but is such an integral part of our team and helped lay the foundations of this success. Up the Villa, Villa ‘Til I Die. W."
