REAL SALT LAKE ANNOUNCES 2012 PRESEASON TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
32 Players Listed on Claret-and-Cobalt’s Preseason Roster in Advance of Tomorrow’s Fitness Testing at Spence Eccles Field House
SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, January 25, 2012) – On the cusp of its eighth preseason in Major League Soccer, Real Salt Lake has unveiled the 32 players that will compose the team’s official 2012 preseason roster. Twenty-seven of the 32 players took part in entrance physicals this evening in Salt Lake City before gathering first the first time as a team tomorrow for fitness testing at the Spence Eccles Field House on the campus of the University of Utah (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT, open to media).
The full version of RSL’s 2012 preseason roster can be found online by clicking here. Please visit www.RealSaltLake.com/2012-preseason for roster updates throughout the 2012 preseason and the team’s full preseason calendar leading up to MLS First Kick, presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Saturday, March 10, when RSL will begin its campaign with a Western Conference Championship rematch at the LA Galaxy.
Real Salt Lake 2012 Preseason Roster
Goalkeepers (3): Lalo Fernandez, Kyle Reynish, Nick Rimando
Defenders (11): Tony Beltran, Samir Bengelloun, Nat Borchers, Leone Cruz, Diogo de Almeida, Wes Knight, Jamison Olave, Chris Schuler, Terukazu Tanaka, Donny Toia, Chris Wingert
Midfielders (12): Yordany Alvarez, Kyle Beckerman, Luis Gil, Ned Grabavoy, Will Johnson, Enzo Martinez, Javier Morales, Nico Muniz, Lewis Neal, Jonny Steele, Benjamin Ubierna, Sebastian Velasquez
Forwards (6): Chris Agorsor, Cody Arnoux, Emiliano Bonfigli, Fabian Espíndola, Paulo Jr., Álvaro Saborío
RSL 2012 Preseason Camp Notes
- Real Salt Lake will announce the details of its opening preseason exhibition contest tomorrow afternoon via www.RealSaltLake.com and the club’s Facebook and Twitter homes.
- GK Nick Rimando will miss the opening two days of preseason camp in Utah on Thursday and Friday while returning from the U.S. Men’s National Team’s fixture in Panama. Rimando started tonight’s contest for the USA and made four saves during his 45 minute stint, sending the Red, White & Blue on their way to a second consecutive 1-0 win within the last four days.
- In addition, FW Paulo Jr., MLS Supplemental Draft pick MF Benjamin Ubierna and trialist DF Terukazu Tenaka are expected to arrive in Utah in time for this weekend’s training sessions, while top SuperDraft selection MF Enzo Martinez is expected to join the squad during its first training camp in Arizona next week.
- MLS Supplemental Draft pick FW Oliver Kupe will not join RSL during the preseason, as the senior at Northwestern University will instead be focusing on completing his degree during the entirety of the spring semester in Evanston.
- A handful of players will be unable to participate in full training once camp gets underway in earnest on Thursday due to injuries, with the list including MF Kyle Beckerman (R adductor strain), DF Nat Borchers (L quadriceps strain), MF Will Johnson (R adductor strain), MF Javier Morales (L Achilles tendonitis) and FW Álvaro Saborío (R knee microfracture). Johnson and Morales are expected to return to limited training in time for the open of RSL’s Scottsdale-based camp next Tuesday.
- The following nine players that finished the season with Real Salt Lake in 2011 are not part of the beginning roster for the 2012 campaign: MF Jean Alexandre (traded to San Jose), MF Arturo Alvarez (selected by Chivas USA in Re-Entry Draft Stage 1), MF Nelson González [end of loan with Quilmes (Argentina)], DF Rauwshan McKenzie (out of contract), GK Tim Melia (out of contract), DF Robbie Russell (traded to D.C. United), DF Blake Wagner (out of contract), MF Collen Warner (selected by Montreal Impact in Expansion Draft) & MF Andy Williams (retirement).
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