Shortly after purchasing his Major League Soccer franchise in the summer of 2004, and months before he'd decided what to name it, Dave Checketts was hobbling around Madrid, Spain, with a torn ACL trying to convince Real Madrid executives that an exhibition match against his unnamed team was a good idea.
It seemed foolish, but his persistence paid off.
Tonight, the club in the Rocky Mountains which unapologetically borrowed its name from Real Madrid, actually hosts its unofficial big brother in one of the biggest sporting events in Utah since the Olympics. European super club Real Madrid takes on Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium tonight at 7:30, a match that puts the finishing touches on its U.S. Tour 2006.
After that, Real Madrid returns home with two weeks remaining until its season opener, whereas surging Real Salt Lake jumps right back into the stretch run of the MLS season.
Both would definitely like to do so on a winning note.
"They're a good team obviously, but I'm sure there's some issues with fitness and cohesion, and we've been playing together for six, seven months now, and I think we're a good team," said RSL's Jeff Cunningham. "It should be a good match."
Cunningham, whose 13 goals leads MLS, entertained the press with witty one-liners for nearly 10 minutes following Friday's training session.
As Real Madrid warmed up on the temporary grass pitch, Cunningham walked out of the locker room and over to reporters and asked, "Who are they?"
Admitting he was a little star-struck like most of his teammates, Cunningham proceeded to guarantee he'd score one goal, and then joked that the defender beat for his goal could have Cunningham's No. 74 jersey after the game.
As for which Real Madrid jersey he had his eye on, isn't it obvious?
"We already did a pool, who gets whose jersey, and I got Beckhams," joked Cunningham.
This is actually the second-straight year Cunningham will have suited up against Real Madrid. Last summer, in the final tune-up match for Real Madrid prior to its season opener, it beat an MLS Select Team 4-0 in Spain. That team included current RSL players Cunningham, Jason Kreis and Douglas Sequeira.
"I got my chance to play there at Bernabau, that's by far the best experience of my playing career," said Cunningham. "Now they're on my turf, my home town. I'm looking forward to possibly getting a win for our fans."
It won't be easy, but Real Salt Lake is definitely playing its best soccer of the season. Not only is it coming off consecutive league wins over D.C. United and Colorado, but RSL should be a little more confident knowing that D.C. played this same Real Madrid team to a 1-1 draw in Seattle on Wednesday.
"We hope to be competitive, that's our main goal," said Real midfielder Chris Klein. "We know they're a better team than we are. They're better than D.C., but from all reports D.C. came out and they played, and I think they had fun doing it. I think we want to use that model."
First and foremost, that entails not being intimidated.
Real Madrid's payroll is well over $200 million, and includes global superstars like David Beckham, Fabio Cannavaro, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Emerson, Robinho, Raul and Roberto Carlos. RSL's payroll, meanwhile, is right around $2 million. That realistically won't matter after the opening whistle. Real Madrid isn't in midseason form, whereas Salt Lake is. That should help produce an entertaining, competitive match for 90 minutes.
"We just have to continue to do the little things right, marking in the back, playing simple through the midfield and playing to our strengths," said Salt Lake coach John Ellinger.
RSL could play the perfect game and still lose, but that isn't what tonight's match is all about.
"We hope to continue to show the world that MLS is a good league," said Real keeper Scott Garlick, who's played very well as of late. "Every good result that MLS teams have against legitimate international competition bolsters the league's image."
It also furthers the prospects of MLS teams returning to the United States for exhibition matches in the future.
ENDLINES: Gates for Saturday's game open at 6 p.m. There will be a $10 parking charge at all University of Utah parking lots.
RSL on the air
Real Madrid at Real Salt Lake
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Today, 7:30 p.m.
TV: Ch. 5
Radio: AM 700 (English) AM 1600 (Spanish)
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com