Some of the Cape Town-based soccer players who were stranded in Europe will return home later this evening. The 35 young players affiliated to an unregistered academy left on July 6 to participate in a soccer tournament in Spain. They were expected back in the country on Wednesday last week; however, their return flight tickets were not booked. The owner of BT Football Academy, Brandon Timmy, has apologised for the delay in bringing the players home. “I apologise for what has happened here. This is an emotional thing. I am a dad as well. I would not have wanted them to go through something like this. What I wanted was to say to them I will try my best in any way. I have relationships with those kids. These are the kids that I coached as well. I sympathise with the parents as well and I just want to let them know I made a mistake. I apologise for all of this that transpired.” Stranded in Spain | Remaining young soccer players to return home