Anyone venturing near Wilson Plaza in the past few days has undoubtedly come across the maze-like metal barricades, crowds of screaming fans. But such a ruckus can only seem normal considering the craziness that seems to embody the fans of the world-renowned fútbol club Real Madrid.
With an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer coming up Saturday, the team has been practicing at UCLA’s North Athletic Field since Thursday in preparation for the match.
The Spanish club fields a roster of soccer superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká and Iker Casillas, so it comes as no surprise that the mere presence of Real Madrid in Southern California has sparked a frenzy among diehard fans and casual observers alike.
Steve Najera, an assistant director for UCLA Recreation, believes that UCLA’s location made it an ideal practice spot for Real Madrid. Not only is the campus near Los Angeles International Airport, but it is also situated close to the team’s hotel as well as the Rose Bowl, where Saturday’s game will take place.
In addition, the new coach, Jose Mourinho, is quite familiar with UCLA, having utilized the campus as training grounds for his previous teams Inter Milan and Chelsea.
“(Mourinho) came here a few times in the past couple years and loved it,” Najera said. “He thought it was great exposure for the team, great preseason weather and wonderful facilities. He really was the catalyst in bringing Real Madrid here this summer.”
With such a huge fan base coming to Westwood to catch a glimpse of the team, UCLA Recreation employees have been working hard to keep everything under control.
“It’s been demanding coordinating the stay of Real Madrid for their week-and-a-half preseason training here,” Najera said. “We manage the facilities, the security, the staffing and the operations of their stay.”
Black tarps were set up around the North Athletic Field to keep practices private, but that didn’t stop many of the fans from trying to sneak a peak through any opening they could find.
The rest of the spectators crowded the entrance of the field, seeking pictures of the soccer players as well as their autographs as they left practice.
“It’s always surprising to see the turnout,” Najera said of the fans. “They somehow just find out (about the practices), and it’s been pretty crazy. I know (Real Madrid) is one of the biggest football clubs in the world, so I imagined they would have a lot of supporters.”
Third-year physiological science student Tamara Casas admitted that as soon as she found out the team was on campus, she made plans to go see the players almost immediately.
“I’ve definitely been coming to the practices every day, especially since I live right here in Westwood,” Casas said. “I’m Spanish, so I’m very excited that the Spanish players on the team are coming later this week. Seeing them play at the World Cup and then seeing them in person is a dream come true for me.”