22 of our keen footballers have enjoyed sport and sunshine in Spain from Saturday 14th to Wednesday 18th February, all sharing a strong passion for football and a desire to learn.José Manuel Llaneza Sports City of Villarreal CF has been the venue for a fabulous football tour for one of our core sports over the half term holiday and our students are loving spending time playing the beautiful game, competing in matches, training on the pitch, building friendships and exploring a new country!
During two intensive days over Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th, the young players participated in training sessions designed and led by coaches from the Grogueta Youth Academy, who shared their methods and techniques, fostering both individual skills and teamwork. The experience allowed participants to get an up-close view of the club’s training philosophy and improve their technical and tactical abilities. The stay concluded with the presentation of a certificate for the Villarreal CF Training Experience, recognizing their participation and effort during these training days. The players return to Reading with new experiences, unforgettable memories, and knowledge that will undoubtedly enhance their football development.
Hear from our Director of Sport, Simon Bradbury, about the day to day experience of the trip:
Day 1: Saturday 14th February
An early start to Day 1 with the group setting off to London Gatwick at 4.15am. With it being half term there were lots of people travelling so once through security we headed straight for our gate for boarding. A strong tail wind made for a speedy flight and once on the coach we all received an alert on our phones signalling a red weather warning for strong winds of up to 50mph. We made it safely to the hotel, checked in, had lunch and were thankful for a day at the hotel to recharge. Some students made use of the indoor swimming pool while others caught up with some sleep. A number had the misfortune of watching the England rugby match against Scotland! We then headed down for dinner before lights out at 10pm (a reminder that we are one hour ahead!).
Day 2: Sunday 15th February
The day started with a leisurely breakfast before a short walk to use Castellon youth training pitch for a session led by Callum and Simon. We then headed back to the hotel via the local supermarket before having lunch at the hotel. After lunch the group went to the local beach where some of the Year 8 boys played against the locals. We then went back to the hotel where more use was made of the hotel swimming pool. Then it was back to Castellon, via that well known Spanish fast food chain McDonalds, to watch the team defeat Deportivo 2-0 with two great strikes. An exciting match to end the day!
Day 3: Monday 16th February
An early start with breakfast at 7.30am before heading to the Villarreal training facilities for our first training session with them. After meeting the coaches the group were put through a 90 minute session looking at possession and the use of an extra person in attack. The group finished off with a shooting drill. Former Liverpool goalkeeper, Pepe Reina, was on the pitch opposite coaching Villarreal U19’s. After the session we headed to the Estadio de la Ceramica where students got to visit the club shop, a museum tour and a stadium tour. It was fascinating to hear about the history of the club. Afterwards it was back to the hotel for lunch before an hour to rest before heading out for our first fixtures of the tour. Both boys and girls played their matches at the same time against Ribarroja. Both games were high scoring with the boys winning 4-3 and the girls losing by the same scoreline. The boys goals were scored by Theo (2), Yezen and Frankie. The girls battled back from 4-0 down with goals from Isabella (2) and Maddie. We then headed back to the hotel for dinner before lights out and another busy day tomorrow.
Day 4: Tuesday 17th February
Day 4 in Spain saw another early start before heading to the Villarreal training campus for a double training session. The sun was once again out and it was a lovely day for football. The group worked on individual movements and possession throughout the sessions and finished with a friendly match mixing the girls and boys together. We then had a short presentation of certificates before saying farewell to our coaches before heading back to the hotel for lunch. The girls headed off to play their match against Biensa in which they narrowly lost again after another slow start. The girls were 3-0 down at half time but two goals from Maddie made it 3-2. The boys then headed out to play Peniscola in another high scoring match. The boys went behind early but levelled immediately through Findlay. A goal by Frankie before half time and Oscar after half time made it 3-1 LP. The score remained like this until six minutes to play when a flurry of goals occurred. Peniscola made it 3-3 by scoring two goals in three minutes but then Yezen scored to make it 4-3. Sadly, there was still time for our hosts to equalise. Dinner was had back at the hotel before the group submitted nominations for players of the tour, which will be announced tomorrow!
See the photos in our online gallery
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