Puyol meets refugees in Greece ahead of 'clasico'

People cheer as they watch retired Spanish soccer player Carles Puyol at the Greek northern city of Thessaloniki, on Sunday, April 23, 2017. About 1000 refugees residing in northern Greece attended an event in the framework of "Football Family Day" during which they watched a live broadcasting of a soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid on two giant screens. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (The Associated Press)

prev next

Migrants cheer as they watch retired Spanish soccer player Carles Puyol at the Greek northern city of Thessaloniki, on Sunday, April 23, 2017. About 1000 refugees residing in northern Greece attended an event in the framework of "Football Family Day" during which they watched a live broadcasting of a soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid on two giant screens. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (The Associated Press)

Retired Spanish player and La Liga ambassador Carles Puyol, left, La Liga President Xavier Tebas, center, and Greece's Migration Minister, Yannis Mouzalas attend a news briefing in Thessaloniki, Greece, Sunday, April 23, 2017. About 1,000 refugees residing in northern Greece attended an event in the framework of "Football Family Day" during which they watched a live broadcasting of Spanish first division soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid on two giant screens. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (The Associated Press)

THESSALONIKI, Greece – Former Spain captain Carles Puyol posed for selfies and talked soccer with more than 1,000 refugees in Thessaloniki, Greece, before the "clasico" Spanish league match between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The refugees live in four camps near Thessaloniki and later watched the game on two giant indoor screens on the grounds of the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

Puyol, a former Barcelona captain, unsurprisingly predicted his team would do well in the top-of-the-table clash. He was right — Barcelona won 3-2.

Accompanied by La Liga president Javier Tebas and Greek migration minister Yannis Mouzalas, Puyol attended the "Football Family Day" event, organized by La Liga, Spanish media group Mediapro and NGOs InterVolve and Open Cultural Center.