Camp Nou & Prep for First Match

August 10, 2014

Today, the players started the morning with a light training with the Swarthmore coaches. We got some touches in and stayed loose and sharp for our first match this evening. After training, we went back to the hotel and got cleaned up to quickly head to Camp Nou, FC Barcelona's stadium, museum, and training facility. The museum was great. The players were able to explore the history of the club and learn about some interesting pieces of its history. What many don't know is that, while its soccer team is the most well known, the club also has other sports teams, including hockey, futsal, and basketball. 

The stadium was amazing, and it gave the group multiple chances for fantastic views and photo opps...At the end of the museum tour, we were able to do some shopping in the giant FC Barcelona Nike store. Many players walked out with some of the latest and greatest Barca gear.

After the visit to Camp Nou, we caught a late, relaxed lunch as a group to fuel up for our game. During lunch, Allison, one of the athletic trainers, arrived to join us from Prague, where she had been working with the Swarthmore men's soccer team. When she walked in, the team greeted  her with cheers that took over the restaurant. Then, when we returned to the bus, the team serenaded her as well. Han even joined in, dancing from the front of the bus as we headed to Española's field.

The match against RCD Espanol provided an exciting start to our set of games on the trip. The Swarthmore women played with a lot of energy, ultimately battling the club to a 0-0 draw. A full game write up will be posted shortly.