March 18, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- On the heels of the most successful season in school history, Northwestern embarks Friday for a training tour in Spain that includes five matches and a chance to see European powerhouse Real Madrid in action.
In addition to NU's five matches in the space of seven days, Northwestern will tour Bernabeu stadium -- home of Real Madrid -- and visit the Real Madrid museum. The group will also be able to catch a La Liga match against Malaga.
The Wildcats will train at the Marbella Training Camp, a private training center situated between Malaga, Seville and Gibraltar. Famous for its warm, dry weather, the center is ideal for spending time both on the pitch and on the region's famous Mediterranean seaside.
"This is a great opportunity for our players to experience something special," NU Head Coach Tim Lenahan said. "I really wanted to reward this group, especially our rising seniors, for the commitment they have made to the program. Heading to the beautiful Mediterranean town of Marbella to play matches against top flight competition and to enjoy the waterfront amenities should be great for us to continue to grow as a program."
Following the Real Madrid match, the Wildcats will meet star and former Lenahan protégé Santiago Solari. Lenahan coached Solari for a year at Richard Stockton college before Solari went on to become a starter on the Real Madrid squad that captured the 2002 Champions League Crown.
Solari is the only American college player to ever go on to win a UEFA Champions League title.
"Being able to see Real Madrid play and meet up with my good friend Santiago Solari will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these guys," Lenahan said. "I really want to thank all the parents and alumni who helped to finance this trip. Although we still have some fundraising to go, the response has been amazing and we couldn't have made it without them."
Following is the Wildcats' slate of games for the trip:
Monday, March 21 -- AFA Pablo Picasso
Tuesday, March 22 -- UD San Pedro
Wednesday, March 23 -- Malaga CF Juveniles
Thursday, March 24 -- UD Marbella
Sunday, March 27 -- Guardia Civil Benahavis