FCBARCELONA.CAT

08.05.2009 13:00

United States west coast tour 2009

www.fcbarcelona.cat

FC Barcelona are set to go on a pre-season tour to the west coast of the United States in August when they will play three matches in front of their fervent supporters in that part of the world.

The Blaugrana has almost everything planned for the trip that will see the first team squad travel across the Pond on July 29 and stay until August 9 as they have yet to line-up opposition for the third encounter. Los Angeles will be the first city that will have the chance to see Barça in action as they play there on August 1 before travelling north to Seattle for a game on August 5. A third game is being worked on and details will be announced soon.

Three friendly games

In Los Angeles, the game will take place at the Pasadena Rose Bowl (5am CET) against Los Angeles Galaxy, one of the most recognisable names from Major League Soccer, while in their second game Barça will meet Seattle Sounders and the Qwest Field stadium (4.30am CET).

Fourth time Stateside

It will be the club's fourth trip to the United States on tour and the third consecutive time that they will have done so in conjunction with MLS. The team's previous visits were i 2003, 2006 and 2008.

During the tour in 2006, FC Barcelona's games saw the highest average attendance of a team ever in the USA with 80,734 people watching each of the three matches that were played in the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, the Reliant Stadium in Houston and Giants Stadium in New York.

In 2008, the team played games in Soldier Field in Chicao and in Giants Stadium, New York when an average of 40,000 attended.

The two this year will see Barça play at two new venues when they appear at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and Qwest Field in Seattle.