Aug. 4, 2008
Photo Gallery
Chicago, Ill.- Last week served as another prime example of why Flames Field is considered one of the finest soccer pitches in Chicago, as La Liga power FC Barcelona and English Premiership side Everton FC utilized the UIC men's soccer team's home turf to train for their respective friendlies in the Windy City.
Everton FC, featuring U.S. National Team goalkeeper Tim Howard, trained on Flames Field on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for an exhibition against the Chicago Fire that was held at Toyota Park on Wednesday, July 30.
FC Barcelona, with a star-studded squad that includes the likes of Thierry Henry, Rafael Marquez, Samuel Eto'o and a host of other world-renowned players, used Flames Field for training from Thursday through Saturday prior to facing las Chivas de Guadalajara at Soldier Field on Sunday, August 3 as part of the preseason "Barca On Tour 2008."
The use of Flames Field for training by Everton and Barca marked the addition of two more premier international clubs to a long list of famous sides that have utilized UIC's home pitch. National teams from the United States, Mexico and Canada, as well as the Major League Soccer All-Stars, David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy, and a score of other professional teams have made Flames Field the field of choice for training when in Chicago.
