dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
REAL Betis Academy Zimbabwe are set to acquire further technical expertise from the visiting Spanish La Liga delegation which is expected in the country on May 19.
The four-member visiting experts include La Liga’s Southern Africa delegate Enrique Suay and the Spanish La Liga side Real Betis’ trio of technical director Juan Parra, head of global sports projects Ignacio Pinilla as well as academy coordinator Javier Lopez.
The quartet will preside over training sessions for Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe assessing and enhancing the technical abilities of the youngsters as well as their coaches.
They are also scheduled to oversee the Real Betis festival which will pit other academies that include Aces Youth Soccer Academy, Golden Eagles, Legends, BN Academy, Royal Oak and Real Stars.
Suay confirmed the visit yesterday.
“La Liga is making strides in the continent and I can confirm the delegation is visiting Zimbabwe from 19 May to 21 May.
“They will impart their technical expertise to the youngsters and Zimbabwean coaches at Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe. The delegation will also grace the Real Betis festival on May 21 in Harare,” he said.
“It is my hope that the visit will be beneficial to the growth of football in Zimbabwe. Late on Sunday (May 21), we will also host a La Liga event dubbed “A night with Betis”.
“Several stakeholders will attend the event whose highlight will be a watch party for the “El Gran Derbi” between Real Betis and Sevilla. We are calling upon Zimbabweans to be part of this watch party.
“Sevilla versus Real Betis is one of the biggest derbies in Spain and it will be interesting to watch that one from one place”.
But before the delegation flies to Zimbabwe, they will oversee the opening of another Real Betis Academy branch in Cape Town, South Africa. In a statement, La Liga said Real Betis are expanding on the back of growing interest generated by already established centres including in Zimbabwe.
“Real Betis are continuing with the club’s international expansion. The Andalusian institution has carried out a new sporting project in South Africa, having launched the Real Betis Camp Cape Town in the South African City.
“This follows on from the opening of a permanent academy that the club already manages in the south of the African continent, with Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe,” read the statement.
“Real Betis have launched this campus in partnership with Athletes Sphere Management, the entity which also manages the Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe, their first academy founded in Africa. It has already been running for three seasons and has more than 150 players”.
Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe director Gerald Sibanda is excited with the pending La Liga delegation visit and the opening of a new centre in South Africa.
“As Real Betis Academy Zimbabwe, we are obviously thrilled with the opening of another centre in South Africa. That means a lot for us, more so given that it will be Athletes Sphere Management that will be partnering the initiative.
“We are really delighted to have this project in South Africa. It means we will have a lot of exchange programs with teams in Zimbabwe and South Africa also playing against each other,” said Sibanda.
“We are also delighted that Real Betis and La Liga will be visiting next week. For us, that means everything and we are very happy.
“We will have our festival as well with all age groups from Under-9 to Under-20 getting a chance to showcase themselves in front of the powerful delegation.
“The watch part for the Real Betis versus Sevilla derby will be the icing on the cake. I am so excited and looking forward to both events.”
Online Reporter