Shamrock Rovers' opponents for tonight's Europa League clash, North Macedonian side FC Shkupi, have issued a bizarre statement on their club website, bemoaning the fact that they were 'forced' to land at Shannon Airport.
The club feel slighted, and have implied that bigger teams would have been flown into Dublin, like Bulgarian side Ludogorets were for Shamrock Rovers' last European tie.
Shamrock Rovers vs KF Shkupi
The club also appear to state that because of this journey from Clare to Dublin, they will exact revenge on the pitch and make sure that whoever is to blame for the 'mishap' will not go unpunished.
Below is the club's statement. However, it is clearly not an ideal translation, and cannot be taken word for word.
Our team is being interfered with by making small plays in such an unbecoming manner. Despite our budget, we were trying to keep our players comfortable by hiring a charter plane and paying thousands of euros to ensure that our players could make it to the Europa League in good health, but the Irish government did not listen to UEFA, despite the intervention of UEFA, landed us 300 km away from Dublin and gave our team an undeserved treatment on this journey.
Likewise, after the match, he will send it back 300 km and fly it from there. Unfortunately, this has not been done to any other team except the North Macedonia team, our loneliness has emerged again as we progressed on the European road. I beg your North Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that we should at least arrange for tonight’s return to Dublin. In addition, we would like to say to the Irish that they should know well that we have a very characterful team.
The reward of being a team is to respond as a team to the evil done to you in the same way, today our team will show you what a character it is, like lions on the field, it will show that there is no team that will not bow down to such cheap games, such cheap games should not have a place in football, they should not go unpunished, he You only landed FC Shkupi at the airport, but you landed PFC Ludogorets in Dublin, could you treat us the same if any Italian, Spanish, German or English team showed up? We hope that our government will respond to this situation, with my respect to the public.
FC Shkupi 1927
Club Management
One aspect of the translation that can be trusted is the club's exaggerated belief that they have been made to travel 300km to Dublin.
According to Google Maps, Shannon Airport to Tallaght is only 214km and a 2 hour and 10 minute drive.
Shamrock Rovers vs KF Shkupi kicks off at 8:00 pm, and can be watched live on LOI TV for €10.
SEE ALSO: Shamrock Rovers v Shkupi: Everything You Need To Know
