27 Dec 2016
Doha, 27 December 2016. Aspire-owned Spanish club, Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, arrived in Doha yesterday for their scheduled winter training camp in Aspire Academy. Running from 26-31 December 2016, the training camp aims to prepare players for their upcoming matches in the Spanish Segunda Division B.
Praising Aspire Academy, head coach Ruben de la Barrera said after completing the first training session, “We are very thrilled to be training in Aspire Academy’s state-of-the-art facilities.” The team’s remarkable performance has earned them top spot throughout the first half of the season. Commenting on their well-deserved achievement, de la Barrera added: “The most important thing is that we continue to do things as good as we can and keep growing as a team. Then reaching the play-offs for the second division is a realistic target.”
Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa came under spotlight in recent months after they drew against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey's round of 32. The home and away matches provided a great opportunity for the team’s players to play against one of the most world-renowned teams in the world, including Aspire Academy graduate, Qatari footballer Abdullah Abdulsalam.
On November 30th, Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa’s midfielder Abdullah Abdulsalam became the first Qatari footballer to ever play in a Copa del Rey match, and it was against none-other than one of the most successful footballing clubs in the history of the sport, Real Madrid.
Commenting on his experience, Abdulsalam said: “It was a true honor and an unbelievable experience to play in front of a large crowd in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.” He also pointed out how important his move to Spain has been for his development so far, saying that he benefits from every training session and every game provides a valuable experience.
As part of their visit, Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa’s players will face QSL-club Al Saliya in a friendly match on Friday, December 30. The delegation that comprises of 39 players, coaches and staff members, will also tour popular local destinations including the Museum of Islamic Art and Souq Waqif in order to expand their knowledge about the Qatari culture.