Following a tad hiatus, JSW Bengaluru FC received a warm welcome from Indians staying in Doha as they landed safely at the Hamad International Airport early morning (2.30am local time) on November 3, 2016. Caring a damn about a cosy sleep, some 10-15 die-hards were there to welcome the Blues.

JSW Bengaluru FC are the first club team from India who have made it to the AFC Cup Final and will be playing Iraq’s Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the final in Doha on November 5, 2016.

Despite the scheduled flight being cancelled, it did not deter the passionate members of Qatar Indian Association, whose four-hour long wait got assuaged finally by the short ‘meet n greet’ session with the JSW Bengaluru FC contingent.

“We got to know that their scheduled flight was cancelled but there was no question of going back from the Airport without welcoming our heroes,” Safeer, General Secretary, Qatar Indian Association for Sports and Games (QIA) voiced his passion to AIFF Media.

Coach Albert Roca seemed overwhelmed seeing the spillover of enthusiasm amongst the Indians staying in Qatar as he opined: “It was a long and tiring journey but to be greeted by the members of the Indian community despite the late arrival was very heartening to see. I hope they turn out in big numbers on matchday and motivate the boys even more.

Team captain Sunil Chhetri, also the Indian with the highest number of goals in International Football was not surprisingly the crowd favourite. Chhetri who captained India to the SAFF Cup Gold in January earlier this year was seen posing with the fans at the airport as well prior to leaving for the team hotel.

“Tomorrow, I’ll show this photograph to my colleagues and definitely they’ll envy me. I’ll cherish this for my lifetime,” another member of the association quipped when AIFF Media asked him about the ‘selfie-session’ with the ‘Captain Marvel’.

“He is our national team captain. He captains India,” there was pride in his voice.

(Report courtesy: AIFF Media / Photo courtesy: Bengaluru FC)