The Duke University Men’s soccer team have safely returned from Spain after an amazing 10 day tour in Barcelona. Tour highlights:

• Watched Terrassa FC SAD v CF Gava in Segunda liga B at the Olympic Stadium, where Duke later played a game against Terressa and won 3-0. 

•              Tour of Barcelona, seeing the Sagrada Family church, Montjuic (Olympic facilities) and the Gaudi designed buildings in the city centre. 

•        Visited Espanyol’s training facility for our first session with Espanyol’s U16 Academy coach.  

•             Watched Espanyol’s first team practice. 

•       Game against Igualada CF from the Catalonia Regional first division in their home stadium. The final score was a well earned 2-1 victory to Duke.  
  

    ·         Toured one of the world’s most famous stadiums, Camp Nou, home to Barcelona. 
  

    ·         Visited a traditional Spanish restaurant down by the water front for delicious tapas and paella.  Apparently it was one of Rivaldo’s favorite restaurants when he played for Barça with pictures of him on the wall.  

•       Watched Barcelona v Valladolid live at Camp Nou with spectacular views from inside the stadium; up to the mountains in one direction and down to the ocean in the other.  Barcelona needed to win the game to guarantee first place in La Liga ahead of Real Madrid and Valladolid needed a point or more to avoid relegation...it was finely poised.  Valladolid started strongly and gave the home team a few scares before their superiority kicked in.  Messi, Bojan and Pedro gave us a master class in free flowing attacking football and the game finished 4-0 with 2 from Messi and 1 from Pedro. Witnessing Barcelona win the league was a definite highlight for all the boys and the perfect last day after a great week in Spain!!

          We look forward to seeing you all again very soon!!