FCBARCELONA.CAT

14.06.2009 12:49

The Seattle Sounders start strongly

Roger Bogunyà

The club has only existed for two years but the Seattle Sounders are one of the leading teams in the Major League Soccer (MLS). On the 5th August they take on the might of FC Barcelona.

The friendly is part of Barça’s preseason preparations, which include matches against Tottenham and Al-Ahly in London and Los Angeles Galaxy in the USA.

Third in Western Conference

ln their first year in the MLS, the Seattle Sounders are third in the Western Conference with 20 points. Houston and Chivas lead the way with 27.

There are a number of well-known players in the Seattle squad including Sweden’s former Arsenal star Fredrik Ljungberg, who came up against Barça in the Paris Champions League final in 2006. And there’s a Spanish league connection in goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who used to play for Rayo Vallecano.

The Qwest Field stadium

The friendly will be played at the Seattle Sounders’ home ground, Qwest Field. The stadium has a capacity of 67,000 and was inaugurated in 2002 under the name of Seahawks Stadium.