Real to visit Canada, US during pre-season

MADRID: Real Madrid will visit Canada and the United States in August as part of its pre-season training, the club said on Tuesday.

The team will play Toronto FC on August 7 and travel to Washington two days later to face DC United, the club said in a statement. "The exhibition matches are a key part of Real Madrid's strategy to globalize its brand as the premier football club in the world," it said.

Real finished in second place in the Spanish league behind archrivals Barcelona. The club presented Chile's Manuel Pellegrini, formerly of Spanish side Villareal, on Tuesday as its new coach. He replaces Juande Ramos, who began a six-month contract in mid-December.