Manchester United and Real Madrid at loggerheads over use of pre-season training camp in Los Angeles
- Manchester United and Real Madrid are both in Los Angeles this summer
- The two clubs have been embroiled in rows over use of the training facilities
- United arrived first and have claimed the facilities offering more privacy
- Real and the Red Devils will face each other twice this summer
Manchester United and Real Madrid have become embroiled in a series of rows over their pre-season training camp in Los Angeles.
The two European rivals have fallen out to such an extent over hotels and training facilities after both choosing LA as their base that organisers of the International Champions Cup and promoters Relevent Sports have had to step in to keep the peace. One insider described the situation as ‘a nightmare’ on Wednesday night.
United arrived in California first on Sunday and appear to have stolen a march on Madrid.
Manchester United and Real Madrid are emboiled in a row over their pre-season training camp
The rivals have fallen out over hotels and training facilities after both choosing LA as their base
Jose Mourinho and his team secured the Montage Hotel and also claimed the training pitch at Drake Stadium on the UCLA campus after arriving before Real
United’s pitch is closer to the dressing-rooms and also has outside swimming pools
They secured the prized Montage Hotel as their team hotel and also claimed the training pitch at Drake Stadium on the UCLA campus which gives Jose Mourinho and his players more privacy.
United’s pitch is closer to the dressing-rooms and also has outside swimming pools to help the players to cool off quickly in the soaring heat on America’s west coast.
Madrid arrived on Tuesday and had to settle for the Beverley Hills Hotel while using a smaller training pitch close to Drake Stadium.
Mourinho, who has always favoured UCLA as a training base and brought Real here when he was in charge at the Bernabeu, will be happy to have outmanoeuvred his old team.
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale looks up as he stretches during one of the warm-up routines
Zinedine Zidane looks on as the European champions prepare for another gruelling season
The relationship between the two clubs has become increasingly strained in recent months with Madrid once again hovering around David de Gea, and United suddenly pulling out of protracted negotiations to sign Alvaro Morata last week when it became clear that Romelu Lukaku’s move to Old Trafford was back on.
United and Real will meet twice this summer with the ICC fixture in Santa Clara on July 23 preceding their European Super Cup clash in Macedonia on August 8.
Meanwhile, Luke Shaw is set to be handed a second chance by Mourinho despite battling to be fit for the start of the new season as he recovers from a serious foot injury.
The England left-back faced an uncertain future after being criticised by the United boss on a number of occasions last season, but it’s understood that Mourinho has been impressed by Shaw’s attitude and conditioning over the summer.
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