Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai pupils in shoot off with Barca

15th May 2010: Dubai’s future soccer stars got a taste of one of the beautiful game’s most celebrated rivalries yesterday as they pulled on the famous shirts of Arsenal and Barcelona at 7he Sevens. The players representing Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai and FCB Escola (Barcelona Soccer School) faced off in a series of friendly matches to mark the end of term. The fixture came just over a month since the clubs hailed as the two most entertaining and skilful teams in the world met in the Champions League. And the youngsters were keen to follow in the footsteps of their heroes - Arsenal stars Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott, the two shining lights of the 2-2 first leg at the Emirates Stadium, and Lionel Messi, who produced one of the finest individual performances in history as he netted four times to send Barca into the semi-finals. With an army of friends and family cheering from the sidelines, the schools, with two teams from the 9-10 age group and two from 11-12 section, contested four seven-a-side matches and a fun day was had by both the Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai and FCB Escola players. It was an opportunity for the Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai pupils to showcase the skills they have learned during the first year of the school, which was opened in May 2009 by Gunners defender Gael Clichy and His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group. Gareth Hamilton head coach at Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai - was delighted his pupils got the chance to showcase their new skills. He said: “This is a great reward for all the hard work the kids have put in over the past few months. It is very satisfying to see them demonstrate the progress they have made. “The training programme at Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai has been developed based on the same principles taught to first-team players: developing young players technical skills and passion for the game to ensure they become the best players they possibly can. The matches with FCB Escola capped off a successful first year for Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai: pupils not only got the chance to develop their skills, but also got to meet a number of their heroes, with Clichy, Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Keiran Gibbs, Manual Almunia and Mikael Silvestre all visiting Dubai. In addition, two pupils David Gowans (16) and five-year-old Nina Zammit Moore won dream trips to London to see the Gunners play English Premier League matches against West Ham and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. Meanwhile, although school is almost out for summer, Arsenal Soccer Schools Dubai is offering youngsters the chance to beat the heat and continue learning how to ‘Play the Arsenal Way at intensive four-day camps at Ahdaaf Sports Club, an impressive indoor facility in Al Quoz. The emphasis is on playing as a team to produce imaginative and skilful football, similar to the style created by club manager Arsène Wenger, who is globally renowned for his ability to nurture young talent. And the classes aimed at kids aged between nine and 16 who have already mastered the basics will be held from 11th to 21st July, from 10:00 to 13:30. Registration is also already under way for the next term, which kicks off in September. Terms last 10 weeks, with classes running for 75 minutes, and are open to children aged between five and 16. In addition, a scholarship group will also be available for players aged between 17 and 18, which is geared towards providing them a platform to achieve a soccer scholarship in the US. To register for the new school term in September or enrol for Summer Camp call +971 (0) 4 8096679 or e-mail sharon.fitzsimons@emirates.com. For more information, visit www.arsenalsoccerschooldubai.com