FC Barcelona coaches hold clinic for Aeta football team during PHL visit

With Messi, Vidal, and Suárez, FC Barcelona is considered one of the premiere football teams in the entire world.

But this prestige didn't stop FC Barcelona coaches to team up with Filipino football luminaries to hold a sports clinic for the all-Aeta Porac Football Club in Pampanga, as seen in a report on News To Go on Thursday.

"They're fast and they trying to do the things that we say to do and everything that we asked of them. If they have passion, I'm sure that they can. They're going to learn a lot," Coach Arnau Blanco said in the report by Kara David.

Every member of the Porac Football Club, founded by an American missionary, was brought to Manila for the clinic to refresh them on the basics of the game, teach them better techniques, and gift them [with] their own football.

Bimiana Capuno, goalkeeper, said they are appreciative of Barcelona's help in helping them pursue football.

"Unexpected po nandito 'yung coach ng Barcelona. Siyempre po pinakasikat sa buong mundo. Parang ang sarap po sa pakiramdam na dati pinapanood sa TV, ngayon nakikita namin sila sa personal," she said.

Capuno said she and her fellow kids are pursuing football to show that they can excel in the sport despite their economic status and negative perceptions about their heritage.

"Gusto po namin patunayan na kahit Aeta po kami, kaya namin sila. Tsaka kaya namin ipakita na wala man kaming [masyadong] skills, ipapakita namin na lumalaban po kami," she said.

Milo Philippines sports executive Robbie De Vera said their clinic was made to give the football team the encouragement and hope they need to achieve their goals.

"Naniniwala kami ang football, ang sports ay para sa lahat ng tao, sports is the great equalizer. All they need is a little encouragement, a little bit of hope, so here we are, this is what we're trying to do," De Vera said. —Rie Takumi/KG/KVD, GMA News