Sport | Football

Chelsea to visit Abu Dhabi on first tour of region

Football fever is set to hit Abu Dhabi in February when Etihad Airways host the first-ever Middle East tour of the Chelsea Football Club Soccer Schools.

  • Staff Report
  • Published: 00:22 January 29, 2008
  • Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: Football fever is set to hit Abu Dhabi in February when Etihad Airways host the first-ever Middle East tour of the Chelsea Football Club Soccer Schools.

Etihad, the official airline for English Premier League side Chelsea, is inviting Abu Dhabi school children to join the landmark event which takes place between February 20 and 23 at the Zayed Sports City.

Four hundred boys and girls, aged between 7 and 14, will take part in four days of top-level football training and specialist clinics led by members of Chelsea's youth academy coaching staff and former players, Roberto Di Matteo and Graeme Le Saux.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' vice-president marketing and product, said: "The visit of the Chelsea Soccer Schools will be a fantastic occasion for hundreds of school children in Abu Dhabi who will learn many of the skills and techniques used by the likes of England football superstars John Terry and Frank Lampard.

'Huge following'

"Football has a huge following in the UAE, particularly the English premier league, and we are delighted that through Etihad Airways' close relationship with Chelsea Football Club we can bring their world-class coaching staff and former football stars to Abu Dhabi."

Roberto Di Matteo, who won honours with the Italian national side, apart from playing 175 games for Chelsea, said: "There is a massive appetite for football and English Premier League in the UAE and everyone at Chelsea is thrilled to help coach some of the brightest talents in the country."

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