Winning Premier League games and a place in Rovers' starting line-up may be at the forefront of Franco Di Santo's mind, but he was chasing a victory of a different kind when he teamed up with some local students at the Blackburn Rovers Community Trust Education Department.

As part of the Premier League's Places for Players initiative, the Argentine ace was helping youngsters from St. Aidan's Primary School in Blackburn to design, programme and race robots.

Each one was assigned a famous face and the ever enthusiastic Franco was desperate to see his first past the post.

Raring to go, Franco's challenger joined his rivals - the cast of Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday programme - on the grid. However, a slow start and some wayward driving put paid to striker's hopes of victory, with Paul Merson crossing the finishing line in first place.

Despite missing out on the champagne moment, Franco fully enjoyed his first taste of robot racing and engaging with the local fans.



"It was a lot of fun, because I got to spend time with the young children, practice my English and try to build my robot," he said.

"It was very easy, because the boys helped me out and I think they are more intelligent than me!

"I never had toys like this when I was younger - just a football. Most kids in Argentina just play football on the streets, so it's great that these local pupils have such excellent facilities and opportunities on their doorstep."

Places for Players is part of Creating Chances, the umbrella brand for all of the good cause work that the Premier League delivers in communities both in the UK and across the world.

Through Creating Chances, the Premier League uses the power of football to engage all sectors of society in the participation of sport and intervention programmes which address key social issues.