Pic: Marine FC
MARINE welcomed some illustrious visitors on Thursday morning as German giants Borussia Dortmund used the Marine Travel Arena to train ahead of their game against Liverpool.
Former Champions League winners Dortmund were using Marine's home to sharpen up before travelling to Anfield for the Europa League quarter-final second-leg on Thursday evening.
The Germans have it all to do after a 1-1 draw last week but they seemed in good spirits with the club posting their ‘pre-warm up' on Twitter.
Anschwitzen, Gentlemen! // Pre-warm up in relaxed atmosphere. #lfcbvb pic.twitter.com/ec8nibzu6k
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) April 14, 2016
The likes of likes of Marco Reus, Mats Hummels and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang graced the pitch, which is normally used for games in the Evo-Stik NPL Premier.
The request from Dortmund came on April 1 and Marine chairman Paul Leary said he thought it was a practical joke!
He told the Liverpool Echo: “When the e-mail landed from Borussia Dortmund, it was April 1! We got the request asking if they could use our facilities for a training session on the morning of the game, and I had to say ‘look, if this is an April Fools' joke then stop now'!
“But it's great for the club and the local area, to have these players here. It's been a stressful couple of weeks worrying about the logistics and what not, but I can relax now. They did an hour on the pitch, the full squad, and then off they went.
“I did ask them if they could maybe loan us a couple of players for our next crucial league game, but I had to make do with a signed shirt!”
