BURGER KINGS AND BALLS FOR THE BORISOV BOYS

PASSENGERS in economy on Friday morning’s Belavia flight from Minsk to London Gatwick were surprised to find themselves sitting next to players and staff from BATE Borisov, who had humbled Arsenal 1-0 in the Europa League the night before. After snaffling Burger King meals for breakfast, the Belarussian side filled the plane with balls, bibs, cones and water bottles, and then checked goalposts, kit bags and even full-sized training mannequins into the hold ahead of Thursday’s return leg. There was so much equipment that a passenger was hit in the leg by a stray goalpost making its way round the carousel.