REAL SALT LAKE FINALIZES 2011 PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Preseason
Preparations Commence Jan. 20, Leading up to CCL Quarterfinal Round Opener at
Columbus Crew Feb. 22;
Claret-and-Cobalt
to Hold Pair of Weeklong Camps in Casa Grande, AZ & Phoenix
SANDY,
Utah (Wednesday,
January 5, 2011) – Real Salt Lake announced today the preliminary plans
for its 2011 preseason schedule, which will take the team from Arizona
to Utah and back again in preparation for its CONCACAF Champions League
Quarterfinal Round series against the Columbus Crew and the upcoming 2011
Major League Soccer season. After reporting to Utah in just over two
weeks’ time, RSL’s 2011 preseason roster will undergo a month’s worth of
preseason training, as the return to CCL play takes place in Columbus on
Tuesday, February 22, and continues a week later in Sandy on Tuesday, March 1.
Real
Salt Lake’s preseason agenda will begin on Thursday, Jan. 20, the date by which
players must report to the team and undergo an entrance physical. After
spending a few days getting acclimated in Utah, the squad will then head south
on Sunday, January 23, to its “home-away-from-home” at the Grande
Sports World complex in Casa Grande, Ariz., where RSL will train for a
week-and-a-half from Jan. 23-Feb. 1.
While in Casa Grande, the squad will
focus primarily on getting its fitness levels back to midseason form while also
taking part in workouts that will incorporate players from the Real Salt
Lake-Arizona Academy, whose U18
& U16 Boys teams are based out of the Grande Sports World camp. After
putting together some impressive showings at the U.S. Soccer Development
Academy’s Winter Showcase in Phoenix last month, the RSL-AZ teams will have
increased exposure to the RSL first-team in 2011, including access to the team
during its two preseason camps in Arizona and possible player call-ups for MLS
Reserve Division contests starting in the spring.
Following
the Casa Grande camp, RSL will return to Utah for some
rest and additional practice sessions before returning to Arizona for
the second leg of preseason camp in Phoenix from Feb. 7-15.
Before RSL becomes too accustomed to the warm sunshine of The Grand Canyon
State, the team will head back to Utah on Feb. 16 to continue its preparations
for the CCL Quarterfinals.
After
departing for the Midwest on Feb. 19, RSL will spend a few days in Columbus,
Ohio, before taking on The Crew in Leg One of the Quarterfinals on Tuesday,
Feb. 22, with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MT (live on Fox
Soccer Channel). The two MLS combatants will then head west to the
Wasatch Front and Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy for Leg Two of their
Quarterfinal series a week later on Tuesday, March 1,at 8:00 p.m. MT.
The
winner of the Real Salt Lake-Columbus series will square off against a Central
American side in the Semifinal Round, against either Costa Rican powerhouse Deportivo
Saprissa or Honduran champion CD Olimpia. Should RSL advance
past Columbus, the Utah side would host Leg One of the CCL Semifinals at Rio
Tinto Stadium, tentatively scheduled for March 15.
In
the midst of CCL Quarterfinals and a possible berth to the Semifinals, RSL
plans on scheduling a preseason exhibition game between March 8-10; the date,
opponent, and venue information will be released as details are
confirmed.
Real
Salt Lake will shift focus to its seventh season of MLS play on Saturday, March
19, when it takes on the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium in
Santa Clara, Calif. in a high-profile “MLS First Kick
2011” match-up (8:30 p.m. MT). One week later, the Claret-and-Cobalt will mark
their 2011 MLS Home Opener on Saturday, March 26, when the Utahans will look to
continue their 25-game League home undefeated record versus the L.A.
Galaxy. Kickoff at Rio Tinto Stadium is set for 7:00 p.m. MT.
Real
Salt Lake 2011 Preseason Schedule (subject to change)
Thurs., Jan. 20: All players report to
Utah
Jan. 23 – Feb. 1: Preseason Camp #1 at
Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, AZ
Feb. 2-6: Utah-based training
sessions
Feb. 7-15: Preseason Camp #2 in
Phoenix, AZ
Feb. 16–18: Utah-based training
sessions
Feb. 19–21: travel to/training in
Columbus, OH
Tues., Feb. 22: CCL Quarterfinal Leg
One v. Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium – 6:00 p.m. MT (Fox Soccer Channel)
Feb. 24-28: Utah-based training
sessions
Tues., March 1 – CCL Quarterfinal Leg
Two v. Columbus Crew at Rio Tinto Stadium – 8:00 p.m. MT (Fox Soccer Channel)
March 2-6 – Utah-based training
sessions
March 8-10 – Preseason game
(date/team/location TBD)
Tues., March 15 – possible CCL
Semifinal Leg One fixture (if applicable, at Rio Tinto Stadium v. CD Olimpia/CD
Saprissa series winner)
Sat., Mar. 19 – MLS First Kick 2011 –
RSL at San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. – 8:30
p.m. MT kickoff
Sat., Mar. 26 – RSL 2011 MLS Home
Opener v. L.A. Galaxy at Rio Tinto Stadium – 7:00 p.m. MT kickoff
