Real Madrid holds first workout at UCLA

Twenty-four hours after arriving in Los Angeles, Real Madrid practiced at UCLA on Monday afternoon ahead of its opening match Thursday in the eight-team International Champions Cup.

Madrid, the most valuable sports franchise in the world according to Forbes, will fly to Phoenix on Thursday to play the Major League Soccer champion Galaxy in its tournament opener before returning to Los Angeles for a doubleheader Saturday at Dodger Stadium that will also feature Everton of the English Premier League and Italy’s Juventus.

Nearly thousands stood in the sun for a couple of hours Monday, lining a sidewalk at UCLA in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the Madrid players as they sped by in golf carts, heading to an athletic field where they worked out for more than an hour before closed doors.

Defender Sergio Ramos was one of the few players to pause and sign autographs for the fans.

The practice was Real Madrid’s first under new Manager Carlo Ancelotti, who is replacing Jose Mourinho.

“It went well,” goalkeeper Iker Casillas said with a shrug and a smile.

This is the fourth consecutive summer in which Real Madrid has trained at UCLA and played the Galaxy.

ALSO:

Gary Player tells Rory McIlroy to put golf before love

Future of Mexico’s soccer coach is hanging by a thread

Ryan Braun fallout: Brewers to give fans at August home games $10