You never want to be that one guy that leaves a football match early only to miss a last minute winner. Last night Cris Rolandus was that guy, in the most spectacular of fashions. Leaving the Camp Nou in the 83rd minute only to miss the mother of all sporting comebacks.
For some events in life it's more than acceptable to leave early. For example, if Arsenal are 5-1 down, leave. When that bearded-bandana-wearing guy gets his guitar out at the end of a party, leave. When your first born's school play is dragging on, get out of there. Do not however, leave the Camp Nou when Barca's strike force are tasked with scoring three goals in ten minutes. As Dutch Barca fan Cris Rolandus will tell you...
According to Dutch news outlet AD.nl Rolandus decided he'd seen enough last night as Edinson Cavani pulled a goal back for PSG, and left in the 83rd minute to beat the crowds. Hence missing Barcelona score three goals in eight minutes and complete one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history.
"When I was almost out of the stadium, I saw it was 4-1. I didn't worry as it was almost full time. Barcelona were still going out," Rolandus told AD.nl. But it was when Neymar's penalty made it 5-1 Rolandus started to realise what he'd done. "Surely not, I was thinking. My friends and family were texting me because they knew I was at the game, but I had to confess I'd already left."
With Barcelona needing just one more goal in the dying seconds, Rolandus jumped in the nearest bar, managing to see Sergi Roberto make it 6-1 through a crowded window and send Barcelona through. A view far inferior from his seat ten minutes previous. "I could have hit himself on the head with regret. I was completely out of my mind. I spent the rest of the night just staring into space. The walk to the Camp Nou from my apartment is normally forty minutes, but last night it took hours.''
"Such a wonder can never happen again,'' said Rolandus. "I bought the ticket for 105 euros months ago. I was disappointed though because of the 4-0 in Paris. I never thought they could turn it around. The pain was unbearable when I looked at what angle Sergi Roberto, the scorer of the sixth goal, ran after he scored. In that corner I was sitting in row 8. I felt like I was stood in the middle of a party between death and mortal sin."
Lesson learned, Rolandus. Never. Leave. Early. Unless you're watching Arsenal.
