European Champions announce star-studded international roster for matches in Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco

NEW YORK (Tuesday, July 28, 2009) – Coming off one of the most successful seasons ever by a European club, and led by some of the most recognized names in soccer – including Argentina’s Lionel Messi, France’s Thierry Henry, Spain’s Xavi Hernandez and Mexico’s Rafael Marquez – FC Barcelona, the reigning European and Spanish champion, announced its roster for their upcoming 2009 U.S. Tour which kicks off this Saturday, Aug. 1.

The Catalan club’s star-studded international roster opens against the LA Galaxy at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, continues to Seattle to play Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday, Aug. 5 at Qwest Field, and concludes on Saturday, Aug. 8 at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park against Mexico’s CD Guadalajara (commonly known as Chivas). Barça returns to the United States this summer for the second consecutive year, and third time in four years.

FC Barcelona – the current UEFA Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey Champions – will visit the West Coast with a virtual collection of World Cup All-Stars that also includes popular Spaniards Carles Puyol and Andres Iniesta, and recently acquired Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“This has been a terrific Summer of Soccer in the United States, with many top teams playing in front of large and passionate crowds,” said Doug Quinn, President of Soccer United Marketing, which represents FC Barcelona’s commercial interests and game promotion in the United States.  “We are very pleased to welcome this great FC Barcelona championship team and its heralded superstars as they visit the West Coast this summer.  This tour is a tremendous way to cap off an impressive ‘Summer of Soccer.’”

The match in Seattle is now officially sold out. Good seats remain available in Los Angeles and San Francisco, with tickets going fast.  Fans are urged to purchase their tickets in advance via Ticketmaster in Los Angeles, Tickets.com in San Francisco, and the respective stadium box offices.

FC Barcelona 2009 U.S. Tour Roster

GOALKEEPERS - Albert Jorquera, Jose Manuel Pinto, Victor Valdés

DEFENDERS - Eric Abidal (FRA), Maxwell Andrade (BRA), Henrique Adriano (BRA), Daniel Alves (BRA), Rafael Márquez (MEX), Gerard Piqué, Carles Puyol, Víctor Sanchez, Marc Muniesa, Andreu Fontás

MIDFIELDERS – Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernández, Andres Iniesta, Pedro Rodriguez, Victor Sanchez, Seydou Keita (MLI), Toure Yaya (CIV), Jonathan Dos Santos (MEX)

FORWARDS – Eidur Gudjohnsen (ICE), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE), Thierry Henry (FRA), Bojan Krkic, Lionel Messi (ARG), Jeffrén Suárez

HEAD COACH – Josep “Pep” Guardiola

*Names not followed by a country designation, indicate domestic players (Spain).

FC Barcelona 2009 U.S. Tour Schedule (all times local)

Date                 Opponent                                 Venue, City                                                             Time  

Aug. 1              LA Galaxy (USA)                       Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA                                 8:00 p.m. PT

Aug. 5              Seattle Sounders FC (USA)        Qwest Field, Seattle, WA                                7:30 p.m. PT