There is so much to update on that, I am going to have to blog in stages focusing on the main parts of my last week. First, we are going to start with my soccer game on Tuesday. Our last game of the semester was played in the newest college that was opened up in Sevilla that has the same format as a college in the US, with a campus and everything. Unfortunately, we could not find another team that was available to play for this day and time so we had to scrimmage against ourselves. The weather was perfect and the field was a lot newer than the ones we have been playing on so everything seemed to line up for a good night. The coach stuck my roommate and I at forward together and let us try and do our thing. The Triana team plays right through the middle of the field with little involvement with the wingers, so this style suited us really well because we got the ball often. Especially me, because I took advantage of when I was not getting the ball often, I would drop into the center mid and try and impact the game that way. It was perfect I was very much involved with every build-up and after going a goal down, I made this run where I beat one player on the dribble and had a shot with my left foot that winded up going upper 90 on the near post. It was a great start to the game because for the rest of the game I had the confidence. We then went another goal down just to bring it back even when I received a pass from the outside back, flicked it to the running outside mid, who then fired away another goal. Goal and an assist for the first part of the first half, I was feeling really good and this definitely showed throughout the whole game. The second half was wide open with not much build up and more of a counter attack method. Although, it was sloppy at times I was able to find myself another goal and almost rack in a third to complete my hat trick, but the pass to me wasn't made. We ended up losing 4-3, but can't be too upset with two goals and an assist. It was a great way to end the soccer program here in Spain because I really focused on what I learned while I was here and tried implementing that as I played. I train for a couple more weeks so I am not officially done but what an experience it has been.
My next soccer experience was on Thursday, where I had the opportunity to go to the second leg Europa quarterfinal game against Sevilla FC and FC Porto, a Portuguese team. In the first leg FC Porto won 1-0, and so Sevilla had to come out attacking in order to get a couple goals. There was a big section of Porto fans that traveled for the game and they were crazy. They were loud from the minute they entered the stadium singing their chants and taunting the Sevilla fans until the whistle blew when their team went a goal down very early on. When it was time for the fans to enter into their section there were about 25-30 cops lining up around their area. Things got so heated that the fans were hitting and throwing bottles at the cops and in return the cops were hitting the fans with their sticks. It was crazy, very close to a straight riot. The atmosphere of the game was amazing, the fans sang their chants and songs loudly and you could feel the pride in everyone of the Sevilla fans' voices as they motivated their team to win 4-1. It is great to see the passion that these fans have for the game of soccer and their teams. It is nothing compared to soccer or even football back home in the US. It is addicting, you find yourself wanting to be apart of the chants and you want to become those old guys that buy season tickets every year, that have the same seats for years and years. From a player's point of view, I can't imagine playing with that many people chanting and screaming your name. I know for the most part you just tune out everything around you but wow the feeling of playing for people that would literally die for you would be such an amazing experience. Even after the game, the fans were still going crazy. Chanting continued to the streets and eventually when they couldn't be heard chanting in their cars, they started honking various tunes. People on motorcycles and mopeds were honking and waving their scarves and flags all the way until we got home, which is about a 30 minute walk. It was a great week for soccer and then the surfing started in the Canary Islands on Friday, which is the next topic to look forward to, ¡Hasta Luego!
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