New York City Football Club has completed its first pre-season training camp in Abu Dhabi.

In addition to training on the world-class facilities at Emirates Palace they also took the time to explore the city and meet fans.

Another highlight was a training session with the young players at City Football Schools – where they were joined by Head Coach Domènec Torrent.

He said: “We have hugely enjoyed both the training camp and the opportunity to all visit Abu Dhabi together for the first time.

“This is a great way of bringing the squad of players closer together as we prepare for the new season and look to make a strong start.

“I want to thank everyone in Abu Dhabi for being so welcoming and we look forward to returning in the near future.”

New York City FC played two friendlies while they were in the UAE capital. The first against FC Copenhagen and the second against Swedish champions AIK.

While six of the players were in Abu Dhabi last year for a video project with Etihad, it was the first time the full squad, led by Sporting Director Claudio Reyna and Head Coach Domènec Torrent, were in Abu Dhabi for a preseason training camp.

Off the pitch, principal partner Etihad Airways, has been giving the players of New York City FC a truly local experience during their pre-season training trip to Abu Dhabi. The players got a chance to visit many of Abu Dhabi’s notable landmarks and to take part in cultural activities – covering everything from a tour of the attractions on Yas Island to falconry. Their experience in Abu Dhabi will form part of a video series that will be released later on this season.

Yasser Al Yousuf, Vice President of Commercial Partnerships at Etihad Airways, said: “There has been huge excitement around New York City FC coming to Abu Dhabi ahead of the new Major League Soccer Season in the US. They are a very passionate and exciting group of players and it has been a pleasure for the Etihad team to show them everything the UAE capital has to offer. It was fantastic to see them immerse themselves in the local culture and interact with everyone they met throughout their time in Abu Dhabi.” 

Sezione: News / Data: Tue 12 February 2019 alle 19:00 / Source: NYCFC.COM
Autore: Stefano Bentivogli
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