08 June 2023 , 07:22
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It goes without saying that caviar is not usually a snack reserved for football.
Usually, supporters prefer a burger - or in the case of this writer, a Midlands delicacy of a chicken balti pie. During the recent FA Cup final showdown between Manchester City and Manchester United, I was given a chance to experience the beautiful game from a slightly different viewpoint to the usual terraces or press box.
Mirror Football were fortunate enough to be invited along to the Laurent Perrier & Caviar House Lounge at Club Wembley for the final and this is what we thought of the experience...
After overcoming the chaos of the recent rail strikes and battling through the seemingly endless queues of traffic, I arrived at Wembley an hour-and-a-half ahead of kick-off. That gave me plenty of time to get into the stadium with ease.
Much like Kevin De Bruyne’s inch-perfect passes throughout the 90 minutes at the national stadium I was guided to my seat within the lounge, where I was sat next to American Twitch streamer and YouTube star IShowSpeed.
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As quickly as Ilkay Gudogan volleyed home Man City's opener within 13 seconds, I was greeted with some complimentary drinks and a free programme before being asked if I would like a starter. Very quickly, a small plate of caviar and bellinis arrived.
Our seats were situated not far away from the royal boxWill Manchester City win the treble? Share your predictions in the comments below
To almost echo the surprise of Jack Grealish seeing his handball penalised by VAR, it was actually quite pleasant. Attention then turned to the main where there was a selection of either a seafood or salmon platter.
Both came out beautifully assembled on the plate to almost mirror the way that Pep Guardiola had put together his talented side. That was quickly followed by a stunning chocolate and raspberry tart.
Whilst the dessert caught the eye, attention then turned to the main of the football. Even though I wasn't in the thick of the action, the atmosphere within the Club Wembley seats still crackled.
There was an extensive fish-based menu on-offer
The caviar actually took me by surpriseSupporters in both ends of the sun-bathed arena certainly contributed to the deafening noise. That certainly continued as Guardiola’s side enjoyed a dream start through Gundogan, before Bruno Fernandes equalised from the penalty spot to ensure the Red Devils’ supporters also played their part in the atmosphere.
City were not to be denied though as German midfielder Gundogan doubled his afternoon’s work as he fired in a second just minutes into the second-half. The final whistle triggered wild celebrations from the assembled City supporters, and I was lucky enough to see the trophy lift with the Royal Box situated mere metres away.
After the celebrations had subsided, I headed back inside where I rounded off a brilliant day with a plate of cheese and crackers before leaving the stadium to get fully immersed in the travel chaos once more - although now fully satisfied after an amazing day.
The main was a choice of a seafood or salmon platter
Our post-match snack was a cheese boardWhat we thought
There will certainly be some supporters that will prefer to be in the thick of the action with their fellow supporters. However, Club Wembley offers another option to soak up the football - and a host of other events - immersed in luxury.
If the opportunity arises, I would encourage any fan to give it a go. There are certainly plenty of chances to do that over the coming weeks with Harry Styles, The Weeknd, Blur concerts set to be staged, whilst there are forthcoming NFL games.
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Of course, not all budgets would allow Club Wembley tickets but there are a variety of packages available to supporters and you can find out more about them here.