SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that they will host UEFA Champions League Semifinalist Atletico Madrid on Sunday, July 27 at Candlestick Park with kickoff at 4 p.m. PT. Tickets for the match will go on sale to the general public starting on Tuesday, May 20 at www.sjearthquakes.com.
“This is a great opportunity for Bay Area soccer fans to watch their local team take on one of the premier clubs in the world,” said Earthquakes president Dave Kaval. “Hosting a UEFA Champions League semifinalist is a special experience. Earthquakes fans have some great games to look forward to this summer and this match adds to the list.”
Earthquakes season ticket holders will have a special pre-sale starting on May 12 and will receive a discount off regular ticket prices. Those fans should look for an email from the club’s fan relations department.
Suites and group tickets are available through the Earthquakes front office in person or by calling 408-556-7700. The club will also have designated supporter areas in sections 42 and 44.
San Jose’s 2014 Summer of Soccer includes a quartet of big games. It all starts with the United States Men’s National Team hosting Azerbaijan at Candlestick Park on Tuesday, May 27 (7 p.m. PT / ESPN2, WatchESPN, Unimas). Next, the Earthquakes will host the LA Galaxy for the California Clasico at Stanford Stadium on Saturday, June 28 (7:30 p.m. PT / NBC Sports Network). One month later comes the Atletico Madrid match followed by a trip to Levi’s® Stadium for the inaugural event at the state-of-the-art venue.
With three games left in the La Liga season, Atletico Madrid is No. 1 in the table with 88 points from a 28-4-3 record. Among their marquee results were 1-0 wins against Real Madrid in La Liga on September 28 and Barcelona in UEFA Champions League on April 9. The Rojiblancos are one of four remaining teams in the UEFA Champions League, drawing Chelsea FC 0-0 in their first leg last week.
Their current roster includes Spanish international forwards David Villa and Diego Costa, who have combined for 40 goals in 31 starts for the club. The squad also features Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Brazilian defender Filipe Luis and Spanish midfielder Koke.
Atletico Madrid was founded in 1903 and celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2013. The club has remained in the top flight of Spanish soccer since 2002 after being relegated to the Second Division following the 1999-00 campaign. The club has recorded 10 Copa del Rey championships, nine La Liga titles and two UEFA Super Cup and Europa League titles.
The match at Candlestick Park is part of the second edition of the Copa Euroamericana. This year's tournament features Atletico Madrid, Club America and AS Monaco along with a number of other clubs to be announced in the near future. Atletico Madrid will also play Club America in Azteca Stadium on July 30 as part of the tournament.
In last year's inaugural tournament, Atletico Madrid, F.C. Porto (Portugal) and Sevilla FC (Spain) represented Europe and South America was represented by Atletico Nacional (Colombia), Barcelona S.C. (Ecuador), Deportivo Anzoategui (Venezuela), Estudiantes de la Plata (Argentina), Millonarios (Colombia), Club Nacional de Futbol (Uruguay), Sporting Cristal (Peru) and Universidad Catolica (Chile).
The Earthquakes last played at Candlestick Park on Aug. 8, 2009 when they hosted a doubleheader that featured an MLS regular season game against the Columbus Crew and an international friendly between FC Barcelona and Chivas de Guadalajara.
Six Largest Attendances in Club History
1. 73,123 – Earthquakes vs. D.C. United at Stanford Stadium, July 4, 1999
2. 61,572 – Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew at Candlestick Park, August 8, 2009
3. 50,391 – Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium, June 30, 2012
4. 50,028 – Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy at Stanford Stadium, June 29, 2013
5. 41,028 – Earthquakes vs. New York Red Bulls at Stanford Stadium, July 2, 2011
6. 39,872 – Earthquakes vs. LA Galaxy at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, July 14, 2008
Match played as first game of a doubleheader with U.S. Women’s National Team and Brazil during the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Match played as first game of a doubleheader with FC Barcelona and Chivas de Guadalajara.
