It was like the first day at school at Rio Tinto Stadium for Real Salt Lake on Friday. Players returned from all around the world and greeted each other with smiles, hugs and stories from the past few months as they opened camp on the 2016 season.
Things were light on the first day as players checked in, got acquainted with their new teammates and underwent physicals on Friday before media day and fitness testing on Saturday.
“It’s great to see all the guys back in the gym working out. They’ve put in an incredible amount of work this offseason,” RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar. “Everyone looks fantastic and they’re all excited to get back to work.”
With the first match of the season just four and a half weeks away as RSL takes on Tigres in the Quarterfinal Round of CONCACAF Champions League on February 24 in Monterrey, Mexico, intensity will build when the team heads off to Oceanside, California, on Sunday to start the first phase of camp. During that trip, RSL will take on San Diego State University and will close out with a match in Mexico against Tijuana.
After a three-day break, camp will resume in Tucson, Arizona, with four matches on the slate as the club prepares for the Champions League conquest.
But it all started with a hectic week in Utah that included video shoots, media day and more.
“It’s just busy. It’s really busy. You’re getting pulled in a lot of directions, but it’s all a part of it,” Cassar said. “We’re excited to really just get on the field.”
