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UPDATE: The Sounders announced on Monday that they’d be hosting Uruguay’s Nacional on Feb. 20. The game will be part of the season-ticket package.
As the Seattle Sounders preseason schedule comes to light there are currently only three listed preseason matches. A report out of Miami & Uruguay indicates that another friendly is being announced soon, as Club Nacional de Football will come to Seattle to face the Sounders on Saturday, February 23.
Atención: surge en Estados Unidos una noticia importante en fecha de reyes para Nacional y todos los hinchas bolsos. A fines de febrero habrá amistoso en Seattle ante el Sounders de la MLS. Mañana se hará el anuncio oficial por parte de ambos clubes.
— Alejandro Figueredo (@afigue2010) January 6, 2019
Nacional is Nicolas Lodeiro’s original club. Seattle’s midfielder started his play there as a youth in 2003, working his way to the first team in 2007 and by 2010 he earned a transfer to Ajax. Nico’s childhood teammate with Nacional was Luis Suarez, who shot up to the first team faster. They now only play together in various national team calls.
After leaving the Sounders Alvaro Fernandez played half a season with Nacional.
Nacional finished second in the 2018 clausura, first in the intermedio and first in the apertura and second in the overall table. They qualified for the 2019 Copa Libertadores Group Stage. They start play in the 2019 season on January 26 in the Supercopa Uruguaya, facing Peñarol in a rematch of the 2018 final.
They are one of the most storied clubs in South American football, winning the Copa Libertadores three times. Nearly 50 times Nacional took domestic titles.
Seattle’s first competitive match is on March 2 and their preseason starts on January 22.