Christian Karembeu, Patrick Kluivert, Vincenzo Montella and Fernando Couto are among the former playing greats who will be in action this week when the Dubai Indoor Football Championship kicks off.
"Legend" teams representing European heavyweights Barcelona, Real Madrid, Roma, and Porto will take on regional all-star sides from the UAE, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco at Dubai World Trade Centre's Sheikh Rashid Hall.
Two friendly matches start the tournament Tuesday night; group play begins Wednesday. Porto take on Roma before Spanish el clasico rivals Barcelona, the reigning champions, and Madrid face off.
The tournament proper begins Tuesday and features games every night until the final on Saturday.
Also in action will be Michel Salgado, twice a Uefa Champions League winner with Madrid, and Barcelona's Miguel Angel Nadal, the uncle of tennis star Rafael Nadal. Aldair, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1994, is on Roma's team and 2004 European Cup winner Costinha suits up for Porto.
The regional sides will feature names such as the former Morocco and Deportivo La Coruna defender, Noureddine Naybet, and Lakhdar Belloumi, who scored a famous goal in the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain when Algeria beat West Germany.
GROUP A Real Madrid, FC Porto, Egypt Stars, Algeria Stars
GROUP B Barcelona, Roma, UAE Stars, Morocco Stars
Fixtures
Tuesday (friendlies)
Porto v Roma, 7pm
Barcelona v Real Madrid, 8pm
Wednesday
Real Madrid v Algeria Stars, 7pm
Barcelona v Morocco Stars, 8pm
Porto v Egypt Stars, 9pm
Roma v UAE Stars, 10pm
Thursday
Barcelona v UAE Stars, 7pm
Real Madrid v Egypt Stars, 8pm
Porto v Algeria Stars, 9pm
Roma v Morocco Stars, 10pm
Friday
Real Madrid v Porto, 7pm
Barcelona v Roma, 8pm
Egypt Stars v Algeria Stars, 9pm
UAE Stars v Morocco Stars, 10pm
Saturday
Winner Group A v runner-up Group B, 7pm
Winner Group B v runner-up Group A, 8pm
Final, 9pm
All matches at at Dubai World Trade Centre's Sheikh Rashid Hall and tickets are available at the venue or through www.timeouttickets.com or www.dubaifootballchamps.com, priced at Dh50. For more information, call 04 3064 000.
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