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Highlights from FC Barcelona's Visit to LMU
Relive the weekend that FC Barcelona spent at LMU's Sullivan Field.
Freshman Josh Carroll with Ronaldinho.

Freshman Josh Carroll with Ronaldinho.

Aug. 23, 2006

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - In preparation for their game against Chivas de Guadalajara as part of their 2006 US Tour, FC Barcelona practiced at LMU's Sullivan Field for three days in August of 2006. Members of both the LMU men's and women's teams were permitted to watch the training and interacted with all members of the team.

LMULions.com was there to catch all of the action. Click on the following photo galleries to see the highlights of the visit.

  • FC Barcelona Arrives at LMU on August 4th.

  • FC Barcelona has its first practice on Sullivan Field.

  • Members of the LMU soccer teams meet the players

  • FC Barcelona has its last practice before playing Chivas de Guadalajara at the Coliseum before a crowd of over 90,000 people.

  • LMU soccer players get more autographs from the players of FC Barcelona.

    Several players from the team wrote journals about their experience with the players from FC Barcelona.

    Whitney Temple with Ronaldinho and teammate Vanessa Rojas.
    "I was very impressed with how friendly Ronaldinho and all of the other players were. It was very refreshing." - Whitney Temple

    Tana Smothermon with Deco.

    "My favorite moment from seeing Barcelona was getting to meet Deco and take a picture with him. I don't think he understood a word I was saying, but he was very nice and smiled for the picture." - Tana Smothermon

    "I talked to Ronaldinho. He was walking away and I yelled to him in Portuguese: "Ronaldinho, can you please sign my jersey?" He literally turned around from ten yards away and walked over to me to sign my jersey. He seemed just as excited as I was when he found out I was Brazilian. He asked where in Brazil I was from and I told him Rio de Janeiro. Then he asked me where my parents were from. He was super excited to know that he and my dad come from the same area. He was very friendly. He talked to me like I was one of his buddies. He is the best player in the world, but he is also very humble. I respect him now even more than I did before. Security was trying to pull him off the whole time but he just kept brushing them off and talked to me. He also stayed to take a couple of pictures with me. It was the most exciting moment of my life." - Diego Souza

    Sean and Jack Murphy with Ronaldinho.
    "It was such a great experience for me on three different levels. As a player, it was great to see some of the best players in the world. As a coach, it was awesome to see our players interacting with the team. And as a dad, it was very special to see my boys knocking the ball around with Ronaldinho." - LMU Head Coach Gregg Murphy

    "I couldn't really believe that they were actually coming to our school and practicing on our field. After it was all over, I was like..."Did this really happen?" It was honestly one of the greatest weekends ever." - Alicia Lloyd

    Messi with Whitney Temple and Alicia Lloyd

    "It was more than I expected. I did not know that most of them would be so approachable and laid back, especially Ronaldinho and Messi." - Bobby Burling.

    Bobby Burling with Ronaldinho

    "Having the opportunity to watch FC Barcelona play with my teammates was by far one of my favorite memories with LMU women's soccer. Laughing and smiling with some of the players was an experience that brought me closer to my teammates." - Joslyn Slovek

    Alicia Lloyd and Joslyn Slovek with Giuly

    Full journal entries can be found on the links below: Diego Souza

    Alicia Lloyd

    Bobby Burling

    Tana Smothermon

     

     

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