MIDDLESBROUGH HEAD TO BARCELONA FOR PRE-SEASON

One of the region’s top teams are heading to the home of football, the Nou Camp, on Sunday to begin their pre-season preparations ahead of the 2011-12 futsal season!

Not only are FC Barcelona and Spain the world’s finest footballing teams of the moment, they are also the number one teams when it comes to indoor football, 5-a-side football, or futsal, as it is officially known.

Middlesbrough Futsal Club are flying the flag for the North East playing in The FA Futsal League, the official national championship where they are split into North, Midlands and South. Boro finished third last season and hope to do even better this coming season, and qualify for the title playoffs against the other two leagues.
On their tour of Barcelona they will take in FC Barcelona training sessions, while also playing friendly matches against some professional futsal teams: Ripollet, Marfil Santa Coloma and Hospitallet.

Club manager Damon Shaw is confident his young side can succeed this season. “What better preparation than playing against teams from Spain, who have grown up playing futsal? It will stand us in good stead for the coming season and with hard work and belief we can bring the title, and UEFA Cup action to Teesside.”

Shaw’s ambition is matched by their fans, the only true supporters of any club in England, who will be backing Boro all the way this season with noise, colour and passion, something that attracted Spanish international Ernesto Casan Lopez to make the move to Teesside, another reason to be confident that Middlesbrough can be champions come May.

With just over a month to go until Boro kick off their season, despite doubts about being able to fund the team for the whole season, one thing you can be sure of is that Middlesbrough, the fans and players alike will be ready for the challenge ahead.

Boro host Liverpool on 2nd October at Thornaby Pavilion in the season opener, kick off 1:30pm. Tickets are £3 adults, £1 under-16s with discounts available for groups or families. Visit BoroFutsal.com for more information.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com