Friendly Fixtures 2004/2005

Although clubs have a busy calendar once the league and other competitions commence, there will be several friendly matches whenever time allows. We set out below details of those games which have come to our attention. Please bear in mind that all dates are provisional and are subject to change at short notice. Matches already played in red, games pending in blue, changes since our last update in bold. For next summer's pre-season games see separate section. (16.06.05)

31 Aug 2004 XXVI Santiago Bernabeu trophy
Real Madrid's presentation match was due to take place in September against MLS All Stars side from USA, but was eventually fixed for end of August against the Mexican side managed by Hugo Sánchez, "Pumas", formally known as Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México". Owen made his home debut in the first half, but Madrid lost 0-1 with a goal from Castro late on.
1-8 Sep Friendly games, 1st to 8th September
A series of friendly games took place during the first international break which followed the opening day of the season. Results of games involving first division clubs (other than those detailed separately) were as follows:
2/9: Constancia 4 - Mallorca 1 (Nadal).
2/9: Almansa 0 - Albacete 2 (Rubén Castro (2, 1 pen).
2/9: Alcorcón 1 - Numancia 1 (Kiassos).
3/9: Guillena 0 - Betis 11 (Dani 3, Oliveira 3, Ismael 2, Capi, Edu, Varela)
3/9: Toulouse 0 - Osasuna 1 (Webó)
3/9: Real Sociedad 0 - Bordeaux 1
2 Sep Trofeo del Olivo
Trophy played in Jaén every summer, with Atlético Madrid as invited guests this year, The locals won 2-1, with a depleted Atlético side equalising momentarily through Aguilera. With many of his squad on international duty, Ferrando used the occasion to try out some of his reserve players.
4 Sep Columbia tournament
Atlético Madrid hosted this triangular tournament, named "The Hellboy trophy", sponsored by the film company Columbia. Opponents were Deportivo La Coruña and AEK Athens, the club where ex Atlético striker Demis Nikolaidis has taken over as president.
Depor 1 (Munitis) - AEK 1 (AEK won 2-4 on pens).
Atlético 1 (Munitis) - Atlético 1 (Ibagaza). (Atlético won 5-4 on pens).
Atlético -0 AEK 0 (Atlético won 3-2 on penalties).
Atlético declared winners.
4 Sep Sevilla 2 - Bolton 0
Added another friendly during the international break, which they dedicated to their fans "homenaje al socio". A trial run for their centenary proceedings. Casquero (penalty) and Aranda got the goals either side of half time against a side which included ex Real Madrid players Hierro, Iván Campo and Julio César in the starting line up. The down side was another injury to Makukula.
6 Oct Friendly games, 6th October
A couple of friendly games took place during the second international break, as follows:
6/10: Cornellà 1 - Espanyol 2. (Corominas 2).
6/10: San José 0 - Betis 3 (Dani (2), Israel).
7 Oct Olympique Marseille 0 - Barcelona 0
Barça paid half a million euros for this friendly match in France, but due to injuries and international call ups only Oleguer and Fernando Navarro were available from first team squad.
8 Oct Trofeo Ciudad de Zaragoza
Zaragoza 0 - Atlético Madrid 2. Took advantage of international break to play this new trophy. Both sides put out weakened teams and gave run outs to lesser used players. Goals early in the second half from Salva and Novo.
30 Nov Barcelona v World XI
Charity match in the Nou Camp organised by Medecins sans Frontières, TV3 and "Sport" newspaper to collect funds for AIDS victims. Johan Cruyff was in charge of the World XI, which hopes to include names such as Michael Owen, Baraja, Nakata and Benni McCarthy. Goals from Iniesta, Deco, Belletti for Barça and Nakata, McCarthy and Petrov for the All Stars.
14 Dec The Match Against Poverty
Charity match played in Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium to collect funds to combat poverty. UNICEF "ambassadors" Zidane and Ronaldo picked the two sides, which included the likes of Hierro, Redondo, Suker, Mijatovic, Kluivert, Tristán, Luque, Gascoigne, De la Peña, Iván Campo, Tamudo, Molina, Mauro Silva, Fernando Torres, Rosicki, Mascherano etc.
Game ended 4-4, with goals for Zidane's side from Tristán (2), Raúl and Yakin, and Ronaldo's team replying with goals by Figo, Sorín, Costa and rally driver Carlos Sainz (twice taken penalty). Michael Schumacher and Rafa Nadal also took part, the tennis player showing he has picked up some nice touches from his uncle.
14 Dec Barcelona 2 - Ajax 1
Friendly match between Frank Rijkaard's Barça and Ronald Koeman's Ajax in Elche. All ten of Barça's fit first teamers played at least half the game, with Eto'o scoring twice. Lindgren got one back for the Dutch side near the end.
28 Dec Comunidad Valenciana 1 - Bulgaria 2
The first of the regional sides to kick off in the tradtional Christmas round of matches, Valencia lost for the first time in their brief (five year) history to Christo Stoitchkov's Bulgaria. The East Europeans went two up through Berbatov and Levante's Manchev, with Javi Moreno getting one back in the last minute.
29 Dec Catalonia 0 - Argentina 3
Depleted Catalonia and Argentina sides met in the Nou Camp, with the visitors running out clear winners. Scaloni opened the scoring in the first minute, with Maxi and Galletti adding two more after the break. Xavi, Puyol, Iniesta, Tamudo and Luque were not available to play, so youngsters Damià, Corominas, Piqué and Jonathan all got a run out.
29 Dec Euskadi 2 - Honduras 0
A team made up almost entirely of players from Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad beat Honduras comfortably in the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian. Both goals were scored by Athletic's Yeste in the first half, the first a long shot and the second after beating the offside trap. Osasuna keeper Sanzol was carried off with a bad cut on the head later on.
29 Dec Andalusia 0 - Malta 0
A disappointing result for the Southerners against a Malta side who were returning to Sevilla for the first time since their famous 12-1 defeat at the hands of Spain 21 years ago. Top names such as Tristán, Carlitos, Antoñito, Bodipo and Marchena were unable to find the net, even missing a penalty. Reyes and Joaquín were not allowed to play by their respective clubs.
29 Dec Navarra 2 - Morrocco 1
Another victory for Navarra, who played their first ever match last season. The side was made up largely of current and former players from Osasuna, with De Carlos putting them ahead in the first half and Nagore getting the winner with a last minute penalty after Houcine had equalised.
4 Jan 2005 Villarreal 0 - Liga XI 1
The annual match to collect funds for the fight against drugs was organized by Villarreal this season after Atlético hosted the fixture last year. Many big names turned out, with a starting line up of Cañizares, Belletti, Javi Navarro, Pablo Amo, Peña, Joaquín, Pablo García, Figo, Ibagaza, Baptista and Tamudo, plus 14 substitutes from all first division sides. The only goal came from Getafe's Gabi late on. Sevilla announced afterwards that they will host the match next season.
6 Jan 2005 Elche 0 - Albacete 1
Friendly match arranged in Elche for the Three Kings' day holiday. Testimonial for Paraguay's Juan Angel Romero Isasi, ex player from Elche and ex manager of Albacete. New signings Ismael and Nico Olivera made their debuts for their respective sides. The only goal from a Pachón penalty in the last minute.
Albacete also beat Quintanar 6-1 on 11th Jan, with five from Rubén Castro and one from David Sánchez.
10 Jan 2005 Levante 3 - Mainz-05 2
Played a friendly against the German side, who were training in Spain during their winter break. Goals from Cuéllar (2, 1 Pen) and Congo, with Jovanovic and Teinent replying for the visitors.
10 Jan 2005 Badajoz 1 - Espanyol 3
Espanyol agreed to play a friendly game to collect funds for the hard-up club's players. Raised around €24,000 from the 5,000 or so fans. Guzmán scored for the 2B side early on, with Tamudo, Velamazán and Corominas all getting goals for the visitors afterwards.
27 Jan 2005 Levante 2 - Dynamo Zagreb 1
Another friendly for Levante, giving a run out again to reserve players. Reggi and Manchev scored in the first half, with Karic scoring a penalty for the visitors after the break.
9 Feb 2005 Málaga 0 - Torpedo Moscow 1
Málaga's goalscoring problems continued, and they were beaten by the Russian side in a friendly match which took place in Marbella. Antonio Tapia's side couldn't even score from the penalty spot after Tote won the spot kick but failed to convert it.
10 Feb 2005 Tsunami benefit match - Valencia
Another match arranged to collect funds for the victims. Combined Valencia / Levante side took on the rest of the league, made up of a squad of at least one player from each club. The league side won 1-3 with goals from Diego Rivas, Oscar Serrano and Rubén Castro, with Corradi getting one back for the hosts. More important though was the cause, with a crowd of around 10,000 helping to swell the collection for the people affected by the disaster.
15 Feb 2005 Tsunami benefit match - Barcelona
FIFA organized a benefit match in Barcelona's Nou Camp for the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami. A World XI, led by Ronaldinho, played a European XI, led by Shevchenko. The World XI won 6-3, with goals from Eto'o (2), Camara (2), Ronaldinho and Cha Du Ri, with Del Piero, Zola and Suazo replying for the Europeans.
23 Feb 2005 Levante 0 - Krylia Sovetov 2
Certainly not a friendly after the game developed into an all out punch up after a hard tackle on Rubiales in the second half. Punches were flying all round, and even Levante manager Bernd Schuster got involved. At that time the Russians were two up through Koreman and Bobyja in a fixture which was played at the Oliva Nova golf complex.
9 Mar 2005 Osasuna 1 - LA Galaxy 0
Friendly match against Los Angeles Galaxy in Pamplona as warm up to US tour later in month. Only goal scored by youngster Raúl García in the last minute.
Mar 2005 Espanyol in Saudi Arabia - cancelled
Had arranged a friendly match for the end of March in Saudi Arabia, possibly to play Al Hilal, and collect €72,000 for turning up with all their star players. However plans abandoned after required guarantees not given and friendly with Marseille set up instead.
25 Mar 2005 Olympique Marseille 3 - Espanyol 1
Friendly match played in Béziers. Lotina was missing internationals De la Peña, Maxi, Kameni, Jarque and Jonathan, and put out a side largely made up of reserves and youth team players. Velamazán equalised Costa's first half strike, but Batlles and Cheyrou won it for the French side after the restart.
24/26 Mar 2005 Osasuna in USA
Sgned agreement worth $200,000 with Soccer+ to play four games in the States, two at the end of March and two more at the end of the season. First two games of tour vs Mexico Pumas in Dallas on 24th March (D 1-1, Puñal penalty / Oldoni) and Chivas in Los Angeles on 26th March (W 1-0, Valdo).
31 May to 7 Jun 2005 Espanyol in Mauritius
Lotina's squad are making a brief tour of the Indian Ocean island chain as a prize for their good season.
03/06: Played a combination Mauritius side which included Laurent Robert and Bernard Olivier. W 2-3, with a hat-trick from Dani.
05/06: Second match against island of Reunión, W 1-2 (Fredson, Velamazán). Domi played a half for each side!
12/15 Jun 2005 Barcelona in Japan
Signed agreement to visit Japan in summer to coincide with Expo in Aichi. Played two friendlies at end of Spanish season, the first against Yokohama Mariners on 12/06 (D:3-3 (Sakata, Oshima, Oku (pen) / Motta 2, Giuly) and then against Urawa Red Diamonds on 15/06 (W: 0-3 (Larsson 2, Xavi). Ronaldinho and Eto'o were missing as they are international duty, but club still made €3 million profit. Talk of return later in summer.
Jun 2005 Osasuna in USA
Remaining two games of US tour will be played at the end of the season. Dates and opponents still to be decided, but has been delayed due to Osasuna's appearance in the cup final.
Friendly Fixtures 2003/2004
Friendly Fixtures 2002/2003
Friendly Fixtures 2001/2002
Friendly Fixtures 2000/2001
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