Real Madrid, minus Ronaldo, sets up at Impact’s training facility

The Real Madrid circus has landed in Montreal.

One of the world’s most prestigious soccer teams held its first workout at the Montreal Impact’s training facility on Monday, with fans packed along the fences to try to get a peek at coach Zinedine Zidane and his squad, even though top stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Pepe, Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos did not make the trip.

One fan managed to sneak through onto the field, but was quickly whisked away by security guards.

Real Madrid will train at the Centre Nutrilait until July 26 to prepare for the International Champions Cup, which for them is a pre-season tournament in the United States against Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich. Among the starters for the UEFA Champions League winners on hand were Marcelo, Danilo and Karim Benzema. Zidane’s two sons, goalkeeper Enzo and midfielder Lucas, are also in camp.

“I’m glad to be in Canada,” said Zidane, the three-time world footballer of the year who starred on France’s 1998 World Cup champion team. “It’s a place I know and a place where people speak French.

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“But most important is to have a nice place where we can work. That’s what we have here. There are great pitches side by side.”

The centre has two grass fields and two with artificial turf, plus indoor training facilities and meeting rooms in a renovated and expanded former fire station.

“I spent a lot of time here on vacation when I was player,” said Zidane, 44. “I like Canada a lot. I like the atmosphere and the countryside.”

Despite his affection for Canada, he said he never considered ending his playing career in Major League Soccer as other European stars have done. Zidane retired in 2006, just before David Beckham started that movement by signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The Impact were still playing in a lower league then, not joining MLS until 2012.

“I had a lot of offers when I went to Madrid (from Juventus), but my only wish was to end by career with Real,” he said.

Real plays its first game July 27 against PSG in Columbus, followed by Chelsea July 30 in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Bayern Aug. 3 in East Rutherford, N.J.

It is the second year in a row that the Impact has played host to a top European club. Last summer, Chelsea FC worked out at the facility between pre-season matches in the U.S.

Alexis Belanger-Champagne, The Canadian Press