In case you're new to the soccer world, FC Barcelona is the best club team in the world. They're better than most, if not all, international teams as well. They're in D.C. for an exhibition match against Manchester United at Fedex Field on Saturday. Because Manchester United is also one of the top five teams in the world, Barcelona wanted to get some practice time in.
Since they are in Washington D.C., someone though it might be a good idea to do a little practicing on the Nation's most famous pitch, the National Mall. Good idea, see some of the sights, be seen, all that good stuff. Problem is, the U.S. Park Police is anti-fun.
According to Paul Tenorio of the Washington Post reports that just as the Barcelona side showed up to the Mall to practice, the U.S. Park Police brought their leader aside and informed them that they couldn't practice on the field because they were a group of more than 10-15.
“Security said you couldn’t have a group of more than 10 or 15 there,” Barcelona midfielder Xavi said in
his nativeSpanish at a press conference. “We wanted to loosen up a little, stretch. . . . Given that the White House was near so it was normal security, nothing more.”
Go look at the video on that page and see how sad David Villa is that he can't practice near the white house. Way to welcome them to the country, you guys. I guess soccer will never work in this ountry after all.