Bournemouth have a number of pre-season friendlies before the start of the 2013-14 campaign, including matches against the likes of Woking and Portsmouth, but the team on everyone's lips around the Goldsands Stadium is Real Madrid.
The recently-promoted Championship side will go up against Europe's elite in a one-off exhibition match this Sunday, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil gracing the pitch.
While Cherries defender Steve Cook is fully focused on the club's new campaign ahead, here, the 22-year-old talks to Sports Mole about the prospect of featuring in a once in a lifetime encounter with the Spanish giants.
First and foremost, how are you all coping with training sessions in this heat?
"I think Bournemouth is one of the hottest places in England at the moment. Pre-season's always tough but when you've got 28 to 30 degrees of heat, it makes it very, very tough indeed. It's all about hydrating and getting things right."
I can imagine that these conditions will suit the Real Madrid players on Sunday. They probably wouldn't have expected that!
"I would have thought [it would suit them]. They're coming over to nice warm weather. I'm sure it will be a stroll in the park for them, while we're running around, sweating and obviously very tired. I don't think they've done much training, but I can see them being a bit more used to the weather."
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The whole town is excited for the game and it was quite a shock when the club announced that you would be going up against Real Madrid. What was your reaction?
"It was strange because at first we thought that it wasn't going to happen - it was just talk, but a few days later it actually materialised. There was a bit of disbelief that we were playing Real Madrid, and it hasn't really sunk in properly yet. We'll see them walking through the doors and then maybe the nerves and the excitement will kick in."
What do you think it says about Bournemouth as a football club that you've been able to secure such a high-profile fixture?
"I think it's massive for the club and the town to be honest. Bournemouth's come from being in financial difficulties to getting [to play] Real Madrid - one of the biggest clubs in the world, so it shows how far the club have come, and it shows how far we've got to go as well. It's exciting times for the town and the club."
There were some questions about whether fans would shelve out £60 for a ticket, but they were snapped up and sold out instantly.
"Obviously it's a lot of money but are [Madrid] going to come back here again? It's maybe a once in a lifetime opportunity for people around Bournemouth and especially the players. I would have thought it was money well spent. Like you say, the tickets were sold out in a day, and then when more were allocated, they were gone as well. I think the people appreciate that it took a lot to get them here and it's going to be a good evening."
Do you know the squad that Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti will be bringing to Bournemouth with him yet?
"No, to be honest, we haven't heard a lot. We've heard that the players who played in the Confederations Cup aren't going to be here, but still, the stars in that side are unbelievable. We've still got Ronaldo, Ozil and the list goes on! Whoever turns up, they're all going to be unbelievable players."
Are you looking forward to going up against anyone in particular?
"I think it's fair to say, Ronaldo. Some would say he's the best, some would say second best, but it's going to be a great experience. I'm looking forward to playing against him."
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Despite this being an exhibition game, you're still very much in your pre-season schedule. Are you and the rest of the players going to head into the match with the same mind-set that you've had for other pre-season games?
"This is a big game for us. I think we've got two weeks left until the big [Championship opener] against Charlton Athletic, so this is massive for us. We can see how good we are. Obviously, they're a world-class side, so it will be nice to see where we are coming into that, even though it's not our first game. We're going into it with that mind-set and hoping to cause an upset."
How would you assess your pre-season so far?
"I think it's gone well. We've looked sharp - obviously the weather doesn't help - but everyone's got to put up with it and graft. We're looking sharp and passing the ball well. With two more weeks left, we're improving a lot and we'll be ready come August 3."
In your last two pre-season games manager Eddie Howe's been experimenting with three at the back. Do you think it's important to have different options for the Championship season?
"Yeah, we've been working on that. It's going to be a long and tough season so it's good to have the alternatives, just in case things aren't going right, we can switch and maybe improve. I think everyone's open to learning new things. Personally, I enjoy playing three at the back."
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What are your main targets for this upcoming season as a team?
"As a team, I think we've got to consolidate ourselves. Hopefully we will get off to a good start, I think that's vital, and push as hard as we can. I think we can finish top half and then who knows."
What about personal targets in your case?
"Personally for me, it's play games. I want to be the first-choice centre-back. The players that we've got around are great defenders as well and it's healthy competition, but I've been working hard myself and I want to be starting in that Charlton game. I've still got a lot of work to do but I'm looking forward to it."
Danielle Joynson
