MADRID - Real Salt Lake returned to Ciudad Real Madrid early Tuesday morning for the coldest and windiest training session during its first week on the Iberian Peninsula, with most of the starters from yesterday's 90-minute effort vs. Real Madrid Castilla "regenerating" with a light workout while the remainder of the squad prepared for Wednesday evening's game vs. the RM "C" team.
Two of RSL's starters from Monday's 1-3 loss to Castilla went full speed with the reserves, as FW Jeff Cunningham and DF Willis Forko asked for the extra work to hone their games, each participating in the fitness regimen as well as the 8v8 in tight space.
INJURY UPDATE: Team orthopedist Dr. Andrew Cooper arrived in Spain Monday, and gave both FW Jeff Rowland (right knee ACL) and DF Nik Besagno (left knee MCL) five more days at restricted training levels prior to granting them full clearance. However, both players were able to see time in today's pre-game session, with Rowland as a "neutral" attacker for both sides, akin to a full-time QB in American street football. MF Christian Jimenez also saw extensive action as he recovers from his right knee ACL injury suffered 8 months ago.
HACE MUCHO FRIO: Panamanian FW Luis Tejada was affected the most by the cold front that moved in to central Spain overnight, barely able to utter the words "hace frio" ("it's cold) between his chattering gold-toothed smile during regeneration. After practice, he was bundled up in several layers, but it was too little, too late. Tejada anticipates thawing out prior to his participation on this evening's CONCACAF Gold Cup Conference Call hosted by SUM at 9:00 Madrid time (3:00 p.m. ET). However, the team was back in the hotel Tuesday afternoon before the skies opened up with a steady rain, which hopefully will have moved on prior to Wednesday's 4:00 training session for the starters and 5:00 game for the reserves vs. Real Madrid "C" team.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Several RSL players have enjoyed opening up the local papers for their extensive coverage of La Liga and European football, with Tuesday and Wednesday's editions of all-sports dailies MARCA and EL PAIS full of valuable game previews / reviews of UEFA Champions League clashes. Tuesday's Liverpool v. Barcelona match is on over-the-air TV nationwide on channel 3, while Valencia's home game vs. InterMilan is on Canal+. Tomorrow's Real Madrid @ Bayern Munich game will be watched by 7.6 million people, with all 40 of the RSL delegation tuning in.
VIP TREATMENT: Just 72 hours after Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon hosted Real Salt Lake at the famed Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, RSL owner David W. Checketts will join Calderon as his personal guest at Allianz Arena in Munich for the Champions League quarterfinal match. Checketts, who will host a dinner for RSL players and staff on Thursday night in Madrid after the team's game against San Sebastian at Ciudad Real Madrid, hopes to join Calderon and los Merengues in celebration. Real Madrid is under enormous pressure to advance in Europe, as its current 4th place La Liga campaign has seen Fabio Capello's team take just one point in its last three games at the Bernabeu, where it has won just five times in 12 home games this season. Madrid's placement in La Liga will dictate this summer's international preseason travel plans for the World's most popular club.
