Kobe makes surprise visit to Barcelona practice
'I came to enjoy my favorite football team,' Lakers superstar says
 Matt Sayles / AP Lakers star Kobe Bryant, right, is shown with his wife Vanessa and their daughters Gianna, left, and Natalia at the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage Celebrity Preview at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. on June 10. |
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BARCELONA, Spain - Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant made a surprise visit to watch FC Barcelona in training Thursday before the team’s final game this weekend.
Bryant, who lived in Europe for eight years and is an avid soccer fan, watched quietly from the sidelines and hugged Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho after the training session.
“I came to enjoy my favorite football team,” Bryant said after security guards let him into the Nou Camp stadium. “It is a privilege to be able to watch Barca train.”
The vacationing Bryant said coach Frank Rijkaard had been his favorite player, calling him a midfielder with a lot of “class.”
Barcelona, which trails Real Madrid on head-to-head results at the top the Spanish league with 73 points, plays Gimnastic Tarragona in the team’s last match Sunday.
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