Ben Brereton Diaz: Chilean's trip to watch Blackburn Rovers hero wrecked by injury and snow

First, Ben Brereton Diaz picked up an injury on Monday, with Blackburn's game then postponed 45 minutes before kick-off on Saturday

A Chilean fan's dream trip to watch Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz was ruined by injury and snow.

Pablo Miranda Svaizer jetted over to see Rovers' home match with Millwall even though Chile striker Brereton Diaz had been ruled out by a twisted ankle picked up against West Brom on Monday.

The fan's bad week then took a further twist when heavy snowfall on Saturday left the Ewood Park pitch unplayable.

"It was like a horror film," Pablo told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We travelled to here on Tuesday and the [West Brom] match was on Monday and we were packing our luggage and said 'oh it can't be!'

"I thought I'm never going to meet him, all this travel for nothing."

He opted against switching to watch Manchester City's Premier League match with Tottenham and stuck to his plans to go to Ewood Park, only for the match to be called off 45 minutes before kick-off.

"We said we could cancel the Blackburn match and just go to watch [Manchester] City against Spurs, but I said no, I will go to watch Blackburn," Pablo added.

He is part of an 80-strong fan club who have tuned in to Blackburn's matches every weekend since Brereton Diaz made his international debut in June 2021.

The Stoke-on-Trent-born striker qualified for La Roja through his mother and has three goals from eight international appearances.

"Since Ben played for Chile we were so happy and he's just like a hero for us," Pablo said.

"I said once I can go to the UK I will go to Ewood Park to see Ben play because he is really like a hero."