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Andres-Llop Enjoying His Return to Spain
May 11, 2017 03:56 PM | Men's Soccer
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SEVILLE, Spain – As the West Virginia men’s soccer team continues its tour of Spain, rising sophomore defender Albert Andres-Llop, a native of Vilareal, recaps the Mountaineers’ first four days in his native country.
On Thursday, West Virginia visited the famed Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid CF, which just advanced to the UEFA Champions League final the night before. Additionally, WVU briefly took in the sites of the city center of Madrid. Llop recalls the journey back to his team’s home country.
Hello everyone! I was excited when I found out we were coming back to my country with my team because they were going to learn and experience a new country and culture. So far, it has been great.
Soccer-wise, we played one match against FC Sevilla, which was good. We played very well and had chances to win the game. We lost in the last five minutes due to a free kick. It was good because people from Sevilla were impressed with the performance from our team.
Also, we met with Marcos Álvarez, who is a very famous physical coach in the soccer world. I think we learned a lot in terms of fitness and how professional players prepare for a match.
The last few days have been about touring the city centers of Sevilla and Madrid.
Today we visited Bernabéu, one of the biggest soccer stadiums in the world. It was very cool because I had never been there before. So far, we’ve had a great time and I am very happy to be back home.
Defender Albert Andres-Llop speaks with local media in Seville, Spain.
I think for my American teammates coming to Spain, one of the best soccer countries in the world, it is a wonderful opportunity. It will make a great impact for every soccer player on the team. They are learning a lot about our culture and about the game of soccer. I think it will be great for us as we prepare for the upcoming season.
Before I came to WVU, I wasn’t sure how NCAA soccer worked. It is pretty different. In Spain, we play 10 months and in the United States they play half a year. Soccer is more physical in America. You work very hard in the preseason and West Virginia has a very good staff and coaches who help us develop us students and as athletes. It’s different, but the United States has built up its soccer culture and has learned from Spain, Germany and Brazil. I think the U.S. is growing up a lot and becoming very competitive.
In Spain, when you turn a certain age, it’s hard to balance your studies and be an athlete. So in the United States, the NCAA provides an opportunity for us to study and play the game we love. You never know what will happen in your future, so having an educational background will only help you when your soccer career is over.
I am very thankful for my visit to my home country and for the opportunity WVU and the NCAA have given me. I tell anyone I know to come to the United States and experience collegiate soccer.
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