OTTAWA – Could Diego Costa line up against a Canadian Premier League team this pre-season? Never say never.

OneSoccer hosted Canadian Premier League and Atlético Ottawa officials Tuesday night at a supporters pub night, hours after the club came to life as the league’s first expansion franchise. Club staffer Fernando Lopez, the club’s international expansion manager, spoke to the crowd along with strategic partner Jeff Hunt and CPL commissioner David Clanachan.

Answering a fan during a question and answer session, Lopez, who’s set to oversee the club as it prepares for its inaugural CPL season, said his group is open to friendlies against teams under the Club Atlético de Madrid umbrella.

“We’re looking at it,” Lopez told a crowd of Ottawa supporters. “We’re looking at how they figure into the calendar because the schedule hasn’t been finalized yet.

“But I think we have chances to bring very good players from [Atlético’s clubs] to our team.”

Hunt has alluded to the Ottawa side spending pre-season in Madrid using the club’s facilities, which is scheduled to begin March 1.

Aside from Atlético Ottawa, Club Atlético de Madrid operates Atlético San Luis in Mexico’s Liga MX.

Ottawa and @Atleti both won the lottery today#CanPL l #Ottawa2CPL pic.twitter.com/wDk2p1bJEr

— Atlético Ottawa (@Atleti_Ottawa) February 11, 2020