Barcelona at Bisham Abbey!!
Monday 21st July saw the football team giant Barcelona enter the stunning training grounds of Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre for a week of training prior to the inaugural Wembley Cup taking place on Friday 24 and Sunday 26 July 2009 and will see four world-class teams: FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic and Al Ahly compete to lift the coveted Cup.
Spectators will have the rare opportunity to see all four teams in action, with the ticket including entry to both matches on that day.
This event provides the perfect fix for all football fanatics, who with no World Cup or European Championships taking place this summer, will want to watch some of the top teams in action.
A week of solid training showed how their vigorous training regime and commitment to the club undoubtedly helps in making Barcelona one of, if not THE biggest club in the world.
The manager, coaches and team were very complimentary and pleased with the quality of the pitches - which were plucked and preened to perfection in preparation of their visit! The grounds team did a sensational job and the pitches really were in first class condition.
The Bisham Abbey staff were ecstatic to welcome the team to site and the players were very gracious in spending the time to sign autographs and allow the public to watch them train…albeit from a friendly distance! More than a few members of staff, fans and paparazzi went home proudly clutching photos and autographs of their sporting heroes!
The team also participated in several daily press conferences in the old Abbey and also took the time to make their own DVD footage of Bisham Abbey’s stunning grounds and facilities to publicize their trip on their own website for their fans back home.
The staff Bisham Abbey were overwhelmed to have the Barcelona team choose their venue as their training ground ‘its confirmation for us that Bisham Abbey is really making a name for itself as a top premiership training ground, and also that our reputation and outstanding facilities are being recognized, not only in the UK but Internationally too!’ Claire Broomby, Business Development Manager of Bisham Abbey.
Barcelona not only rules in Europe, but also in Spanish competitions, specifically in the national cup, the Copa del Rey, which they have won 24 times, more than any other club. Very few clubs anywhere in the world have won so many titles. The Intercontinental Cup is the only major football trophy that has never made its way into the club museum, where the club's greatest pride and joy remain the two European Cups won at Wembley (1992) and in Paris (2006). Fútbol Club Barcelona has now won 18 Spanish League titles.
The Barcelona certainly have the skill, courage and balls(!) to continue moving forward with every success and the Bisham Abbey team would like to wish them the very best of luck in the future and look forward to welcoming them back next time they fly into the UK.
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