FC Barcelona looking forward to Aug. 5 match in Seattle

FC Barcelona is bringing its first team to Seattle, no doubt, the club's president said Tuesday.

Joan Laporta said that is the plan for his team's U.S. tour this summer, which includes a stop in Seattle for a friendly against Sounders FC at Qwest Field on Aug. 5.

"We're going there with our principal players," Laporta said in a phone conversation. "The people of Seattle will be able to see them. For me, the tour will at least be a chance for people to see the best of soccer at the moment."

The first-team stars include midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta, defenders Rafael Marquez and Carlos Puyol and forwards Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o.

Tickets go on sale to the general public Monday at 10 a.m. through the Sounders FC Web site or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Prices range from $40 to $125 and seating will include the upper bowl of Qwest Field.

Barcelona earned the coveted Treble this past season as winners of La Liga, Spain's top league; Copa del Rey, the Spanish club championship; and the UEFA Champions League title as Europe's best club. It defeated Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League final in Rome last month to become the first Spanish team to win all three titles.

This is the second year of a five-year deal between FC Barcelona and Major League Soccer, which brings Barcelona to the United States for a tour of games each year in exchange for marketing and promotional opportunities for the Spanish team. The 2009 tour starts in Pasadena, Calif., with a match against the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS at the Rose Bowl, followed by the Seattle game and an unannounced friendly in the San Francisco Bay Area.

FC Barcelona will have started a new season during the tour.

"It's a dream to go to Seattle to play one of the best teams in MLS," Laporta said. "It's a good league with skilled coaches and players. We looked at other options, but it's a beautiful stadium. The truth is, we're going to be on the West Coast and Seattle is nice place where pro soccer is played and it became one of our preferred options."

Laporta said he had a friendly conversation with Sounders FC majority owner Joe Roth about making the match happen, and called Roth "an extraordinary man with a great vision for the business of soccer."

Laporta is very satisfied with his team's style of play and proud of what it accomplished this past season on and off the field in winning the major championships and developing a wider culture of faithful fans.

"We're aware that there are a lot of soccer fans in the U.S. and we're going to play in front of them. We won the three most important championships and we expect fans in Seattle will feel the love of Barca," Laporta said.

"I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful city."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com