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By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The partnership Dave Checketts has been picturing for two years between Real Salt Lake and Real Madrid is coming together.
The two Reals will play Aug. 12 in an exhibition at Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the second-year Major League Soccer team that Checketts named after the European superclub.
"We will have the showdown between Real Madrid and Real Salt Lake," Checketts said at a news conference Wednesday. "This has been a long time in coming."
Checketts expects the appeal of Madrid stars such as David Beckham and Ronaldo to easily fill the 45,000-seat football stadium, which will have a temporary grass field installed for the game.
Checketts also considered LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, but decided it would be better to keep the match in Salt Lake City and play on a temporary grass field rather than 45 miles south on the Brigham Young University campus.
"I think this is where our fans wanted to come. So far, this is where they have been coming," Checketts said.
It was also a choice between playing in Utah County or Salt Lake County, where Checketts has been trying to get a commitment for the last $45 million in public money needed to build a stadium in suburban Sandy.
Checketts said the plan to bring in Real Madrid was in the works long before the funding proposal fell apart last month.
"Who knows what would have a positive impact. I thought it would be a positive enough impact to bring the team here, but I can't get agreement from our local political leaders necessarily on that," Checketts said. "Some have been terrific and obviously others have held back. I don't know what I need to do to convince them. I'm just trying to do good things for my hometown."
The clubs share a name -- which means "royal" in Spanish -- and have the same colors, complete with crowns on top of the team emblem. The Reals are working on a partnership, which Checketts said could lead to things such as youth soccer academies and joint training for player development.
"I'd like their team to come here and play us," Checketts said. "I'd like to be able to go there and play them, although I'm not sure that's much of a draw yet for them. But someday it will be."
"Los Galacticos" -- as Madrid is known for its world-class lineup -- will face an MLS team that was winless through its first six games this season, but has rallied for a four-game unbeaten streak.
Real striker Jason Kreis was a member of an MLS all-star team that lost to Madrid 5-0 in an exhibition last summer. He said bringing the Spanish club in to play against an MLS team would be like the Chicago Bulls or Los Angeles Lakers championship teams playing the Real Madrid basketball team.
"I think that's a pretty fair comparison," said Kreis, the leading goal scorer in MLS history.
Real Madrid vice president Emilio Butragueno said Salt Lake will be facing the real Madrid -- not a junior varsity version. Madrid played exhibitions last summer in Chicago and Los Angeles, and Butragueno said the team will bring the entire squad this trip.
"Whenever we play overseas, Real Madrid has to defend its prestige," said Butragueno, a former striker with Madrid. "I'm sure people here will have a lot of expectations about this match and we have to fulfill them."
------ On the Net: www.realsaltlake.com www.realmadrid.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-06-07-06 1543MDT
