Homeward bound -- Monday, January 27th
More than 20 hours of travel later, Philadelphia Union made it back to Philadelphia! They'll enjoy a brief stint off before a few days of training in-market and media day before they head to Florida for the start of their official preseason in Clearwater.
Final matchday -- Sunday, January 26th
Philadelphia Union capped off a productive trip to Spain on Sunday, taking on Danish Superliga side AGF in their final friendly abroad. Despite the 2-1 loss, it was a strong 90 minutes featuring appearances from 23 different players and the first Union goal of 2025.
The match capped off what was a formative two weeks for the team under new leadership -- after the action, Carnell expressed his thoughts on the trip's finale and the progress he's saw during the trip to Spain as a whole.
"Growth is all I wanted to see," Carnell said.
"I wanted to see a team and a collective effort. Every day that we've been on the field, every session that we've had, I've seen a lot of good, positive things happen with this group in such a short span of time. Again, it's marginal gains, small wins, and today we might have gone down in the game on the scoreline, but I felt we came leaps and bounds with the team."
The final day also demonstrated that the jaunt abroad served as a springboard for team connection. During their final hours in Spain, the team spent time in each other's company. Most notably, a group of about 30 players and staff, consisting of Philly fans new and old, watched the Philadelphia Eagles win their NFC Championship matchup against the Washington Commanders and advance to Super Bowl LIX.
Matchday -1 -- Saturday, January 25th
Saturday morning brought about the team's final vist to Marbella Football Center as they held their matchday -1 session ahead of Sunday's friendly against AGF. The group spent the lion's share of the session focused on attacking in the final third and set pieces, closing out what was a very productive two-weeks of hard work in Spain.
While it was the collective's final visit to MFC, it was newly arrived Jack McGlynn's very first. As anticipated, he integrated right back in with the group smoothly, training in full in anticipation of minutes in Sunday's match.
After training, the team had the afternoon off. Some golfed, many spent time strolling down the luxury store-laden walk along the marina in nearby Puerto Banus, and others stuck by the homebase, recovering or taking part in some final interviews with team digital staff in the hotel's cafe. The group is set to land back in the states on Monday night, but first, they have a final 90-minute go against Danish Superliga competition.
Final Friday -- Friday, January 24th
Friday marked the final double day of the team's two-week trip to Spain, and Carnell kicked off the early session with praise for how his group handled a very taxing Thursday. He and his coaching staff paired another energetic morning with an afternoon of set-piece, passing, and finishing-centric work, gearing up for Sunday's friendly against AGF.
While the day didn't stray very far from what's been typical for the team so far Spain, at night, the group welcomed a familiar face back into the fold. 21-year-old Homegrown Jack McGlynn made it to Marbella at last after a very successful stint with the United States Men's National team in Florida.
At dinner, Carnell lead the meal room in a round of applause, celebrating McGlynn's first-ever goal for his country's senior team.
High intensity -- Thursday, January 23nd
Carnell said that Wednesday's training was his team's best so far, but he ventured to rank Thursday's even higher after the group persevered through a physically demanding two and a half hour session split between time on the pitch and in Marbella Football Center's weight room.
Fitness has been a top priority for Carnell and his staff so far in Spain, and he pushed the team the hardest he had yet before giving them the afternoon to recover ahead of Friday's final double training day in Spain.
For an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at what the trip to Spain has been like for the team so far, watch Part 1 of Philadelphia Union's new video series below!
Another double day -- Wednesday, January 22nd
Philadelphia Union was quick to shift their focus back on 2025 preparations after a restful day off, resuming their two-a-day schedule on with a vigorous morning session, as has been custom for mornings so far in the trip. After a quick lunch back at the hotel, they returned to the field for a lighter lift skill practice.
Head Coach Bradley Carnell kept busy until far after the sunset, holding position-specific meetings with his players and staff after dinner in the film room. He didn't start his weekly press conference until 9pm Spain time, but once he did, he shared with the media that Wednesday's day training was the team's 'best' so far.
"We've learned a lot about ourselves," Carnell.
"We've bonded i many ways, the guys were team building [on Monday] so camaraderie seems high. We've been doing double days, and there's willingness to put the effort in and do the extra bit," Carnell said.
Off day -- Tuesday, January 21st
It was another day of togetherness for the Boys in Blue as Tuesday marked one week in Marbella, and Carnell gave the team the entire day to themselves.
Favorably, it was one of the best weather days the team's been able to enjoy since arrival. From nine holes on the golf course across the street from the hotel to sunset boat rides and steak dinners on the Mediterranean Sea, the team explored neighborhoods like Old Town and Puerto Banus, soaking in the sights and sun before waking up for another jam-packed two-a-day schedule on Wednesday.
Caffeine and Octane -- Monday, January 20th
The morning after the match, Philadelphia Union returned to the pitch at Marbella Football Center for a two-part recovery session. The group kept their renewed competitive spirits alive with soccer tennis, which coincidentally is known to have been invented by none other than Slavia Prague in 1922 as a method of keeping their ball skills sharp.
Each team consisted of three players, but it was a young trio in David Vazquez, Neil Pierre, and Eddy Davis III who came out on top, defeating the Sullivan brothers and Franke Westfield, fellow Philadelphia Union Academy products, in the final volley.
Afterwards, the performance staff led the group in a run before an afternoon of more head-to-head activities — this time, on the racetrack.
In his introductory Q&A in early January, Carnell told team media staff that he runs on 'caffeine and octane'. That rang true when he got behind the wheel himself during the team trip to Kart&Fun in Estepona.
Matchday vs Slavia Prague -- Sunday, January 19th
It was a picture perfect afternoon for soccer in Spain on Sunday. Palm trees, a view of La Concha mountain, and seasonal 55 degree Marbella weather set the stage for Philadelphia Union's first match action of the new year.
The 90 minute head-to-head finished 1-0 in favor of the Czech top flight side -- they hit the back of the net once in the first half, but it was still a productive one for the team's newly hired coaching staff and their players, pushing to earn minutes come Major League Soccer regular season start on February 22nd in Orlando.
Head Coach Bradley Carnell used five different lineups throughout the match, crafting groups featuring veterans, academy products, and new Union faces.
After the match, team captain Alejandro Bedoya, who played with the starting crew, reflected on his team's first outing and the trip to Marbella so far.
"It's our first game. As you can see, a beautiful sunset behind us. Marbella, first time we've been here. Outside of our comfort zone, and I think comfort zone is a big word for us, because now with the new staff, new coach, we have a new philosophy, and we're trying to put that in place," Bedoya said.
"We've been here four days our first game, trying to implement some of the things that we've learned over the last couple four days, really. So I'm excited. Working with a really talented group, a lot of young players getting to know each other. My role as a captain, as a vet, is to make sure they integrate into the team well, we welcome them, and also get everybody to be on the same page."
Matchday -1 -- Saturday, January 18th
Saturday's training was Philadelphia Union's last before their friendly against Slavia Prague, and Carnell, a former pro defender himself, joined in on the action, participating in drills near the start of the session.
The team hasn't played a match in three months, and since then, there's been many changes throughout the roster and staff. Although the match ahead isn't one of consequence, it'll mark Carnell's first 90 minutes in Philadelphia's coaching seat, and he'll have the opportunity to test multiple different lineups while watching how both returning and new players work together at game speed.
During his press conference earlier this week, the team leader shared his thoughts on the opportunity to play against teams like their upcoming opponent during their stay in Marbella.
"I think playing European opponents who are a week away from getting going, like Slavia Prague who are playing in their Europa League game on Thursday, there's a lot of benefits to it," Carnell said.
After training, team had the afternoon off; some team veterans opted to spend time together in the hotel's cafe, while the younger crew recovered in the spa and sauna. Others, like Tai Baribo and Danley Jean Jacques, chose to get a quick haircut, because, as the saying goes, look good, feel good, play good.
Double training on Matchday -2 -- Friday, January 17th
It's been five days since departure and the Philadelphia Union's opening friendly of the trip is rapidly approaching. On Sunday, January 19th, the team will be back in match action for the first time in 2025, taking on Czech side Slavia Prague, who've been in Spain since January 7th.
Friday morning's matchday -2 training session was fast-paced and physical, taking place one field to the right of fellow Major League Soccer team Vancouver Whitecaps. It's not the only time the pair will cross paths this year, Philadelphia is scheduled to visit the Western Conference side in Canada late in the regular season on September 14th.
The early session ended in enthusiastic celebration when one group, pictured in the post below, emerged victorious from the final training competition of morning admist an unexpected downpour:
The rain persisted until the team loaded onto the bus drenched, but just over three hours later, they were back in the same spot in far more favorable weather. Training #2 was less physically demanding but purposeful, featuring position group-specific drills and set piece work. In the pre-practice huddle, Carnell emphasized the word 'quality' in his message to the team, and that's what unfolded on the pitch in preparation for the upcoming meet-up.
As has been in the case since Carnell and his assistant, Mitch Hildebrandt, joined the coaching fold, the team closed with dinner and a full-group film session before calling it a night.
Overcoming obstacles -- Thursday, January 16th
The first day and a half in Marbella brought about some unforeseen obstacles for the Philadelphia Union. During the team’s layover in London Heathrow airport, a number of bags, including some that carried essentials like runners, boots, and toiletries, didn’t make it on the connecting flight to Málaga. After dilligent efforts from the team's operations and equipment staff, all missing luggage arrived to the hotel by Wednesday night, and by Thursday morning, the team was already in a routine and ready for a full-throttle session.
The team pushed through a high intensity training from start to finish, and before breaking, Carnell announced the afternoon would be off, offering their bodies a chance to recover before post-dinner meetings and another two-a-day schedule on Friday.
"I would say, since [the equipment situation] was cleared up and we got the green light, we've been up and running, and things have been looking really good," Carnell said during his Thursday press conference.
"Today was a really great training session in the morning, I must say."
First full day -- Wednesday, January 15th
Philadelphia Union’s first full day in Spain was a busy one from start to finish.
The team’s Wednesday itinerary opened with their annual six-minute fitness test on the pitch, and like last year, Quinn Sullivan finished at the top of the travel party with fellow Homegrown Nick Pariano close behind. Immediately following, the team hit the gym at Marbella Football Center, capping off the first portion of their productive two-a-day schedule with strength training.
After a meal and midday meetings, they reconvened on the pitch for a productive afternoon session, and it was a momentous one, as it marked Bradley Carnell’s first as Philadelphia Union’s Head Coach.
When asked his immediate impressions, the newly-appointed team leader was quick to describe his group as chippy, edgy, and confident.
"Today was amazing," Carnell said.
"I think the intensity is something we discussed a lot in the last couple of days prior to traveling. Getting together as a group now, for the very first time, although on foreign soil, you can just feel a sense of togetherness, a sense of purpose already in these short few days, and I'm excited about what's to come. I see a lot of opportunities, which excites me even more. I can't wait to see it happen day by day where we get to build this thing and take it on, leaps and bounds.”
Sand session in Spain -- Tuesday, January 14th
After more than 10 of hours of travel, Philadelphia Union made it to Marbella, swapping below-freezing East Coast temps for 55 degree days and sunny Spain skies.
The travel party featured 29 players including veterans like returning captain Alejandro Bedoya, new faces like 23-year-old Argentinian center back Ian Glavinovich, and promising youth coming up through the club's renowned 'Pathway to the Pros' like Neil Pierre, Sal Olivas, and CJ Olney -- to name a few.
The only player currently asbent from the group is midfielder Jack McGlynn, but for good reason. The 21-year-old Homegrown was called up to the United States Men's National Team's January camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, but he's expected to rejoin Philadelphia near the tail end of their trip.
Those in Marbella wasted no time getting to work on Tuesday; less than three hours after checking into the hotel, they traded their boots for bare feet, bussing to the coast for a beach session to shake out their travel legs.
The team's first official training under newly-appointed Head Coach Bradley Carnell will take place on the pitch at Marbella Football Center on Wednesday, but with the team gathered in one place at last, he opened the 2025 campaign with a introductory speech to set the tone for the weeks to come.
Check out some of the best photos from the team's first day back together in the new year.
Wheels up to Marbella -- Monday, January 13th
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Bags are packed, boarding passes are in hand, and the Boys in Blue are off to Marbella, Spain for a two-week training stint abroad before their official 2025 preseason kicks off in February.
The trip signals the commencement of a new era for the club -- this year will be Philadelphia Union’s first with a new Head Coach in over a decade, and since this time last year, roster changes have been aplenty.
During the offseason, which began mid-November, players were scattered across the globe, recharging with family and loved ones after a season that left something to be desired.With a new team leader and a collective desire to level-up last year's performance on the pitch, the team is back together once again for their first official outing of 2025.
Philadelphia Union is one of almost 50 clubs that'll send a team to Marbella Football Center throughout January. During their stay, they'll go head-to-head with two fellow visitors – Czech top division's Slavia Prague and Danish SuperLiga's Aarhus Gymnastikforening.
Training is set to begin on Tuesday, January 14th -- stay tuned for daily updates about the team's trip to Spain on PhiladelphiaUnion.com and the club's official social media channels.
