THE New Saints arrived in Geneva on Monday afternoon ahead of their debut appearance in the Uefa Futsal Cup.
Tough opponents await in a group of four teams with the winners joining FC Barcelona among other clubs in the main qualifying rounds.
The young Saints side drawn from the Scholarship Scheme and with an average age of just 18, will play their opening game at 5.30pm today (Tuesday) against FK Nautara Kaunas, the Lithuanian Futsal Champions, who have previous experience in the competition.
Game two for TNS (Wednesday 8.00pm) will see the Welsh side take on host nation FC Geneva who are making their UEFA Futsal Cup debut.
The final game will be against the champions from the Republic of Ireland, EID Futsal, on Friday again at 5.30pm.
The group winners will progress to the next qualifying round so it will be a tough challenge and a baptism of fire for the young TNS squad.
"All the players and staff are thoroughly looking forward to representing Wales in Europe, says player/coach Eric Ramsey.
"With the squad being predominantly made up of teenagers, the tournament provides the first opportunity for many of the players to test their abilities against foreign opposition."
Eric is under no illusion about the tough challenge the club will face: "Being relative newcomers to Futsal I'm realistic about our chances of success," he added.
"However, I'm hoping that the players use the experience gained from the FAW Futsal Cup, along with further training since the finals, to compete to the best of their abilities."
TNS are taking the competition very seriously and the club will utilise Futsal moving forward as Eric explains: "Mike Digwood, the club's Academy Manager, hopes that our experience in European competition can be used as a platform on which to implement Futsal throughout the Academy's training programme as he sees it as the perfect form of football to develop the technique of the club's younger players."
Photo: The New Saints squad and officials pictured outside Geneva's Salle Henry Dunant after training this morning.