Mrakovic visits with Real Madrid

Posted: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 8:59 am

San Diego Soccer News: Coach Mario Mrakovic visited with the Real Madrid team at UCLA

SN asked Surf Soccer Coach and San Diego Futsal founder Mario Mrakovic if he would like to attend a Real Madrid press conference or training session and he quickly responded with an enthusiastic YES.  The Real Madrid team were in Los Angeles for the LA Galaxy vs Real Madrid match on August 7 and had several special events prior to the match. With a deep and profound passion for great soccer and a well deserved respect for the Real Madrid players, Mrakovic climbed into his car and headed north to the University of California in Los Angeles to attend the Real Madrid, adidas host soccer clinic where media would have limited access.

 Coach Mario Mrakovic talks soccer with Real Madrid players
 
Coach Mario Mrakovic's story on his visit to the Real Madrid Soccer Training Session.  
The training sessions were before the LA Galaxy vs Real Madrid match.

I made a drive last week on 405 North to the wonderful UCLA complex for the first time -- not really knowing what to expect, but wanting to see the “new” Real Madrid under the tutelage of “the Special one” coach Jose Mourinho. Prior to the team's training, there was a clinic scheduled for a boys’ local team who competed and won to earn the opportunity of training with the world class professionals.

The clinic was full of exuberance and bright happiness all around. However, after the clinic ended, the crowd of eager spectators were corralled to the section area outside the barricaded training ground with no access to the players. I found myself several spots from where I was able to catch a glimpse of the soccer training. Outside the training area, hundreds of fans and autograph seekers were waiting in lines to catch even a quick sight of a Galactico player passing by on a motor cart. There was a Real Madrid fan named Carlos who in the span of this week has collected over 20 autographs from the Real Madrid’s players on his white RM jersey.
 

The crowd produced huge uproars upon appearances of the likes of Coach Mourinho and players such as Pepe, Ramos, Casillas and others. The Special One seemed to have received the most interest from the older male contingency, while Ramos was the fan favorite amongst the females. Mourinho seemed at his best when trying to find his way out of fenced off corridor, he scissor jumped over a 4 foot fence in one very swift move and disappeared in the nearby building complex. 
   
The training field has been set up to perfection and divided into several training zones and points of specific skill training. There were training stations for goalkeepers, first team players, second team, and players not if full form.  All the players were all under the close attention by Mourinho who was walking between the stations in his charismatic style.  Mourinho was so filled with purpose, intent and concentration with his body language. 
 The UCLA practice field before the Real Madrid training
It is of my opinion that the good old days of Real are returning again as Maestro is securely holding the full control of the most elegant team in the world. The Real Madrid players were very friendly and good spirited.  They happily stopped and met the fans and signed autographs, even taking photos with the fans. The visit to Real Madrid training and the whole experience was a very, shall we say “special one”.