'Barca Awaits City Boys
Auckland City's academy is sending its Under-15 squad from feeder club Central Utd to Barcelona for two weeks next month. They will join 10 training sessions with coaches from Barca, meet the first team squad and tour Nou Camp. They will also play matches against youth teams from other top Spanish clubs, including Espanyol.
"Playing against and training with that kind of quality will show us the kind of level we need to be at if we want to become professionals," said midfielder Alisdair Tremlett of Sacred College
Tour organiser Nardo Yugovich said Auckland City had forged strong ties with the famous Spanish club and that Barca club president Josep Bartomeu had gone out of his way to host the Kiwi youngsters.
The trip costs about $5200 per player and to help cover costs Auckland City is holding a fund-raising comedy and quiz night at the Dalmatian Club in Central Auckland next Saturday.
"My favourite player at Barca is Luis Suarez," says 14 year-old Alisdair Tremlett. "We all want a taste of his kind of success too."
- Herald on Sunday
"At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive...
I'll take my chance because luck is on my side or something...
Her name is Rio, she don't need to understand...
Oh Rio, Rio, hear them shout across the land..."