Harut Kamikyan was eagerly watching his favorite Inter Milan players walk by the west side of the Wooden Center after their practice on the North Athletic Field.
“Mr. Cambiasso, a photo, please,” he said.
Esteban Matìas Cambiasso, the star midfielder for one of Italy’s top soccer squads, looked over with a grimace and waved his hand as if to deny his fan a photo.
Then Cambiasso quickly let out a smile and laughed.
“I’m just kidding,” he said.
Kamikyan, a young man who moved to Los Angeles from Armenia six months ago, cherished the chance to be photographed with one of his favorite players.
“When we were about to move here, I knew they would be (playing) here, so I was hoping to see them and have a picture with them,” he said. “I’m going to show my friends all these pictures, they all know I am an Inter Milan fan.”
Kamikyan was one of hundreds of fans who drove to UCLA to see Inter Milan, which has played a number of exhibition matches while in the United States. The squad will conclude its run in California with a highly anticipated showdown against English Premier League power Chelsea on July 21 at the Rose Bowl.
The reigning Italian league champions of the past four years, Inter Milan will be practicing at UCLA’s North Athletic Field twice a day for the rest of the week in preparation for its match against Chelsea.
Their only break from practice during the week will be Thursday afternoon, when they will play an exhibition against UCLA’s men’s soccer team at 4 p.m.
But for Kamikyan, who was trying to get a glimpse of his favorite team, watching the latter part of a simple, 90-minute, mostly technical practice was more than enough.
“Inter is the only team for me,” he said.
While Kamikyan knew well in advance that Inter Milan was to practice at UCLA, many of the people present found out about Inter Milan’s visit just as they walked by and others through word of mouth.
Fourth-year history and Spanish student Victor Bravo said he stumbled on the practice Monday night as he was passing by the field. Bravo, a longtime soccer fan, said it was a total shock to see Inter practicing on campus.
“It was crazy for them to be here,” Bravo said. “I look through the fence and see a 6-foot-5 guy towering over everyone, and it’s like, “˜Hey that’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic.'”
Bravo was referring to the Swedish striker who is currently listed as the highest paid soccer player in the world, according to futebolfinance.com.
The players are also working out in the Wooden Center, though Bravo said that most of the people in the gym did not recognize the internationally renowned soccer stars.
Others present at this morning’s practice were more eager to see the team. A group of campers visiting UCLA for the past three weeks for the Jr. Discovery summer camp got permission from their teacher to leave class and watch the practice. One of them was Miriam Simhon, 14, a native of Colombia, who found out about Inter practicing on campus and rushed over with her friends to catch a glimpse of the action.
For privacy, a black tarp was put up on the fence, but fans, including Simhon, were finding crevices to look through. Security eventually had everyone move away from the fence, and fans were dismayed.
A few fans, including Simhon and her friends, were even asking members of the press for their credentials to gain admittance to the practice.
To soccer fan and Cork, Ireland, native Dave Murphy, who has been following the career of Inter coach José Mourinho, the measures taken to maintain privacy come as no surprise. Murphy said it was probably at Mourinho’s urging to maintain the privacy of his players.
“He likes being different, that’s the way he is,” Murphy said. “He wants things run his way, and he’s very successful.”
Murphy, 32, is in Los Angeles visiting his brother Michael, who is taking a class at UCLA this week. Though a few hundred fans wearing Inter Milan jerseys and holding up signs may seem like a huge turnout to American fans, Murphy said a similar situation in Europe would draw significantly more fans.
“In Europe, there would be thousands, and they would all be hanging off the fence and they would have probably far more security because it’s a bit wild,” Murphy said. “It would be like if the Lakers came and started training around here.”
After realizing the number of fans gathering at the fence to watch the practice, around 11 a.m., an hour into the practice, Inter Milan president and owner Massimo Moratti announced via walkie-talkie to the security to allow the fans to enter. A long line quickly formed at the east gate of North Athletic Field, and fans could sit just a few yards from the action.
“We were so excited to get a really good seat, and now we’re having fun,” Simhon said of being allowed to sit in the bleachers with her friends.
Inter Milan is in the states as part of its U.S. tour. The net proceeds for the match against Chelsea will benefit the Los Angeles Futbol Club, also known as LAFC Chelsea, an organization that provides affordable club soccer play for economically disadvantaged youths.
But for a number of fans who do not have tickets to the match at the Rose Bowl, it’s just about the pleasure of watching Inter Milan practice.
As for his prediction of next week’s winner, Murphy said, “I’d probably go for Inter.”