HOUSTON, TX - When FC Barcelona arrives in Los Angeles on Friday, August 4, for the start of its three-city U.S. tour, presented by Cingular, the team will embark on a 10-day cross-country journey that will include three marquee matches, public appearances, media events and a visit to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
European champions FC Barcelona (FCB), widely considered as the best soccer team in the world today, features some of the sport's top superstars, including FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho (Brazil), 19-year-old sensation Lionel Messi (Argentina), Mexican National Team captain Rafa Marquez, and African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon). The team also recently acquired 2006 World Cup champion Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy) and World Cup finalist Lilian Thuram (France).
FCB's first game will take place on Sunday, August 6, in Los Angeles against Libertadores Cup semi-finalists Chivas de Guadalajara. The game will be part of a doubleheader that kicks off at 4:00 PM (PT) with an MLS intra-division clash between LA-based Chivas USA vs. the New England Revolution. For Chivas de Guadalajara, this historic game is part of their 100th anniversary celebration, presented by Coors Light.
The action moves to Houston where FCB faces storied Club America of Mexico City at Reliant Stadium on Wednesday, August 9, as part of a doubleheader that also features the Houston Dynamo taking on Landon Donovan and defending MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy, with a 7:00 PM (Central) start time. Club America, reigning CONCACAF Champions, is currently celebrating its 90th anniversary season.
The Tour comes to a dramatic conclusion in the Big Apple on Saturday, August 12, when FCB takes on the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ at 7:30 PM (Eastern). The match will mark the Red Bulls coaching debut of former U.S. National Team head coach Bruce Arena.
Off the field, FCB will follow a full calendar of training sessions, some of which will be open to the media. In addition, Nike will present fan-friendly interactive soccer rallies in both Los Angeles and New York that will feature player appearances and guest celebrities. Other events include a private VIP tour of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, where the team will visit the Space Shuttle and International Space Station's mission control centers, the historic Apollo-era mission control and the famous Building 9 - vehicle mock up facility.
Media wishing to cover training sessions must have FCB Tour credentials, which will be distributed to approved applicants after each news conference and prior to each training session.
Media access to training sessions and player interviews at discretion of FBC technical staff. To inquire about the Nike FCB Fan Rallies in NYC and LA please contact the Nike Media Hotline at 212-367-4447.
Though more than 120,000 tickets have already been sold for the three games with several sections having sold out, good seats are still available at most price levels. For ticket information fans can visit www.ticketmater.com, www.FCBTour.com or they can call 1-877-CHIVAS-1 in Los Angeles, 713-276-7500 in Houston or 1-877-RBSOCCER in New York.
About FC Barcelona:
Considered by many to be the greatest club on the planet today, FC Barcelona has won 18 Spanish league titles, 24 Copa del Rey titles and has twice been crowned champions of Europe. The Spanish giants most recently defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the 2005-'06 UEFA Champions League final to capture their second European crown. The squad features many of the world's greatest players, including FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho (Brazil), 19-year-old sensation Lionel Messi (Argentina), and African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon). At least 11 players from FC Barcelona will represent their respective national teams in this summer's FIFA World Cup.
About Club America:
Club America is one of Mexico and CONCACAF's most storied franchises, with a wealth of national and international titles to their credit. America is the defending CONCACAF Champions Cup winner and has won a total of 10 Mexican League titles. Club America, as CONCACAF region champions, will join FC Barcelona, European club champions, in December's FIFA Club World Championship. The Mexico City club, coached by Luis Fernando Tena, boasts a talented roster that features some of Mexico's most talented players including Cuauhtémoc Blanco and current Mexican National Team members Guillermo Ochoa, Pavel Pardo and José Antonio Castro.
