Men's Soccer Goes on European Tour
5/9/2011 9:32:00 PM | Men's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Men's Soccer embarks on an 11-day trip through Spain and France beginning on Friday, May 13th. The trip includes stops in Barcelona, Spain, and both Lyon and Paris, France. On the trip, the Eagles play three friendly matches and attend top-tier professional matches in La Liga, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2.
"We have been excited about this trip for a number of months," said Head Coach Kevin Kennedy. "The team is going to get to experience one of the greatest venues in the world (Camp Nou) and play against some very tough teams in Spain and France. While this is a fun trip, our goal is to get better as a team both on the pitch and as a family."
Georgia Southern arrives in Barcelona, Spain, on May 14th and begins the trip a day later with a training session. The day concludes with a trip to Europe's largest stadium, Camp Nou, to see FC Barcelona face Deportivo in a La Liga match. Barcelona is on the verge of clinching its 21st La Liga Championship and their third in as many seasons. The match comes just 13 days before the Catalans play Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League Final.
The Eagles take to the field on Monday, May 16th, for a friendly match against San Lorenzo. Following a morning bicycle tour of Barcelona on May 17th, Georgia Southern departs by bus for Lyon, France. While traveling to Lyon, the team will stop at Pont du Guard, a historic Roman aqueduct bridge built in the 1st century A.D. The bridge is known for large arches which span the Gard River.
On Wednesday, May 18th, the Eagles play their second match of the trip, facing off against Lyon Reserves. The amateur team won the 2009 and 2010 French Reserves League Championships and is the junior squad of Olympique Lyonnais. The team will see the sights of Lyon on May 19th, and attend the training sessions of the Lyon senior and youth squads. On Friday, May 20th, Georgia Southern makes the short trip to Grenoble, home of the 1968 Winter Olympics, to attend a Ligue 2 match between Grenoble and Clemont.
The final professional match on the schedule is on Saturday, May 21st, as the Eagles watch Lyon play host to Caen. The match is Lyon's final home contest of the season as it battles for a place in next season's UEFA Champions League. Caen looks to stave off relegation in its penultimate match of the season.
Georgia Southern Men's Soccer will rise to new heights, literally, on May 22nd with a training session in Chamonix, France. The village, nestled in the French Alps, is home to the highest peak in the Alps, Mount Blanc.
AS Minguettes is the final test for the Eagles on the trip. Georgia Southern plays the First Division Pro Reserve League team on the final full day of the trip, May 23rd. The Eagles return by air via a short stop at Charles De Gaul Airport in Paris on Tuesday, May 24th.
Throughout the trip, members of the team will share their thoughts as well as pictures of the sights in Europe on GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com
Fans may follow the Georgia Southern Men's Soccer on GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com or get short updates on facebook.com/GSAthletics or twitter.com/GSAthletics.
