Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan, players, staff and fans will pay tribute to the memories of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha this afternoon.
Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock, though, is certain to ensure his players pay full respect to the occasion, but are ready and switched on for kick-off in a crucial match.
This fixture and the next match, against Brighton at home, are crucial in Cardiff’s battle to survive at Premier level.
Thai businessman Vichai played a leading role in Leicester’s astonishing Premier League title triumph died in a helicopter crash after the fixture against West Ham.
Vichai, two members of his staff, Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and passenger Izabela Roza Lechowicz died in the incident near the King Power Stadium.
The away section at Cardiff City Stadium is a 3,000 ticket sell-out and Bluebirds fans will link with their visitors in tributes.
When players of both teams walk out of the tunnel a 30mx8m flag will be surfed up the Ninian stand between blocks 114 and 116 from pitchside to the back.
“It will then be surfed towards the Leicester supporters across 116 and 117 until reaching visiting fans. Stewards will take the flag from Cardiff supporters and surf the flag to the Leicester fans to hold aloft during the minutes silence.
"It wasn't just a couple of players saying we need to play, it was a unanimous decision. Every single player and staff member came out and said: 'We need to play this game. We want to play this game' and that's exactly what's going to happen."
— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 2, 2018
Above: Jamie Vardy speaks to the media.
“We urge everyone who is attending the match to take their seats early for the tribute to start and receive the flag in the Ninian stand,” said Vince Alm, spokesman for Cardiff City Supporters Club.
“Leicester supporters are planning their own tributes which all supporters are welcome to join in with.”
The flag will bear the Cardiff and Leicester club logos, the Thailand flag and the words ‘RIP Vichai’.
It will be held by Bluebirds fans as the players walk out of the tunnel, before making its way into the away end.
There will be a minute’s silence before kick-off and the Cardiff players will wear black armbands of their own in a tribute to Vichai.
It will be a hugely emotional afternoon for everybody at the match and it is impossible to forecast how the players will react.
Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan paid a personal tribute, saying: “It is hard to find words at this time to express how deeply shocked and saddened I am by Saturday’s tragedy.
“My thoughts, prayers and condolences are with the family of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and the families of all those who lost their lives.
“He was a man I knew personally: an honest and caring man of virtue and integrity. I considered him a friend and somebody for whom I had the utmost respect and admiration.
Former Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare visited King Power Stadium today to pay his respects to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and those who sadly lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/iFX0GU4QPp
— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 2, 2018
“Such tragedies put the game of football into perspective. But it is our common bond that will now unite the football family in a time of such grief and adversity.
“We will all stand in support alongside our brothers and sisters in Leicester.”
Cardiff City captain Sean Morrison admitted: “It’s been a tough week
“For Leicester it’s been extremely difficult. We have tried to prepare as normal, but when something like this happens you stop and think and shows the importance of life.
“Sometimes football has to take a backseat. We’ve just tried to prepare as best we can, try to get on with it as normal.
“We try and keep spirits high and be respectful in the game. We’ve got to try and focus on the job in hand, as difficult as that may be. We’re not sure what to expect until the whistle starts.”
Bluebirds manager Warnock revealed how he and his players learned of the horrific crash, saying it had been emotionally ‘strange’ and ‘difficult’ to deal with.
Cardiff players were disembarking from the plane that had taken them to Anfield when they hard the shocking news and Warnock said: ‘It was surreal. We flew to Liverpool, were just landing on our way back and the news came round and it was just an eerie situation for everyone.
“I’ve not really felt like that before. Our players were visibly shocked.
“It was a hell of a day for me with Glenn Hoddle (who suffered a heart attack) earlier.”
Warnock has said he is happy the game is being played, although he had initially wondered whether the fixture could go ahead given the emotions involved.
“Originally I didn’t think the game would go ahead and if I’m totally honest I was hoping it wasn’t going to go ahead,” said Warnock.
“On Monday and Tuesday this week, it was too emotional.
“But I understand now where they are and it’s a good decision to go ahead now because you’ve got to move on and have to get people back to normality as soon as possible.
“Their players and our players will appreciate they can give 90 minutes and get it out of their system.
“Life is on such a slender edge and you sometimes take things for granted. I know it’s just a football match and it puts things into perspective, promotion and relegation and all that.
“If I’d been the manager of Leicester, I’d have wanted the lads to play to get their mind on other things because it’s such a turmoil. The whole football community have felt the shock and everything that’s gone with it.
“We just made sure they were aware whatever they wanted to do, we would support 100 per cent.
“We’re all behind the players, staff, management, owners – whatever they decided to do tribute-wise and everything else, we wanted to agree to that. It doesn’t surprise me because that’s what our club’s about as well.”
Leicester manager Puel’s reaction during his pre-match press conference was: “This has been without doubt one of the hardest weeks in the history of this football club. The tragic loss of five lives left us numb and in shock.”
Harry Arter is back in the Cardiff squad and looks certain to play alongside Victor Camerasa and Aron Gunnarsson in midfield.
Cardiff City (4-5-1), possible: Neil Etheridge, Bruno Manga, Sean Morrison (capt), Sol Bamba, Joe Bennett, Harry Arter, Aron Gunnarsson, Victor Camarasa, Josh Murphy, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Callum Paterson.