Orange and Blue will face second La Liga squad in an international friendly next month during team’s MLS celebration
CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati will face La Liga’s RCD Espanyol in an international friendly, presented by Cincinnati Bell, on Saturday, July 28, the clubs announced today. Kickoff at Nippert Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. Additionally, FCC will publicly celebrate its ascension to Major League Soccer at the game with special pregame and in-game programming.
Espanyol is a Barcelona-based club that was founded in 1900 and has won Copa del Rey – Spain’s national cup championship – four times, most recently in 2006. The club has earned a pair of runner-up finishes in UEFA Europa League play, most recently in 2007. In 2017-18, one of Espanyol’s signature wins came when the club defeated UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid.
In addition to the game, FCC will celebrate its 2019 entry into MLS with a commemorative poster giveaway to fans in attendance. The club is also planning a special halftime program with guest speakers and a video presentation.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Espanyol to Cincinnati as we celebrate our move to MLS,” Jeff Berding, President and General Manager of FC Cincinnati, said. “Espanyol is a world-renowned club with an amazing history of developing and producing some of Spain’s top young talent. They play an exciting brand of football and we know our fans will be entertained by the game next month. To be able to add our celebration of Major League Soccer to the night, it will be a great evening for all of our supporters who’ve shared this journey with us.”
“FC Cincinnati is generating incredible passion in Greater Cincinnati and is literally changing the perception of our city,” Christi Cornett, Chief Culture Officer of Cincinnati Bell, Inc., said. “Our customers and our employees are excited about the future of this team, and Cincinnati Bell is proud to support FC Cincinnati as the presenting sponsor for this great event.”
Espanyol is led by new manager Rubi, who was brought on board June 3 to lead the club into the 2018-19 La Liga season.
Among the top players on Espanyol’s roster are Costa Rican center back Oscar Duarte, who will represent his country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Additionally, Colombia’s Carlos Sanchez was a member of his country’s preliminary roster for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The club also features multiple players who have played for Spain’s National Team and who have represented Spain at FIFA’s youth competitions, and many who currently play for the Catalonia National Team.
The Espanyol friendly will represent FC Cincinnati’s third international friendly in club history, playing one in each season of its existence (2016 to present). In 2016, FCC welcomed English Premier League club Crystal Palace for its first-ever international friendly, where an FCC-record 35,061 fans watched a 2-0 win by the visitors. Last year on July 24, 2017, FC Cincinnati met La Liga’s Valencia at Nippert Stadium in front of 23,144 fans before falling 2-0.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the game, which will start at $15, will go on sale in two stages.
On Monday, June 18, FCC Season Ticket Members will receive an email with information about purchasing their tickets. Season Ticket Members will have a one-week window – until noon on Monday, June 25 – to secure the seats on their account, or purchase additional seats for the Espanyol game.
Beginning at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 25, tickets will go on sale to the general public.
Additionally, prepaid parking passes will be available for $10 per pass.
