Nakata to provide star quality for Kitchee
Japanese legend Hidetoshi Nakata will provide the star factor for newly crowned league champions Kitchee in their match against Spanish side Villarreal next Thursday.
The match at Hong Kong Stadium will be a fund-raiser for victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March.
'We are happy to have secured Nakata's services,' Kitchee boss Ken Ng Kin said. 'He has been very busy playing in a number of charity games and has to change his schedule to come to Hong Kong. Nakata will wear jersey number 80 as the match is also part of the club's 80th anniversary celebrations.'
Regarded as the best Japanese player of his generation, Nakata (pictured) retired in 2006 at the age of 29 after playing for Premier League side Bolton.
The attacking midfielder's 10-year professional career also included seven seasons in Serie A where he played for a number of clubs including Perugia, Roma and Parma.
Villarreal, who finished fourth in La Liga, feature two members of the Spanish team who won the World Cup - Joan Capdevila and Carlos Marchena - and five players who helped win Euro 2008. The team also boast Italy international Giuseppe Rossi.
Tickets will be available from today at the Hong Kong Football Association's office in Ho Man Tin and Hong Kong Stadium. They are priced at HK$400, HK$300, HK$220 and HK$150.
