The 2011 Real Salt Lake season was the club's seventh year of existence, as well as their seventh season in Major League Soccer, and their seventh consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer. Salt Lake's season was highlighted by reaching the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League Finals, becoming the first American soccer club to reach the final of the newly designed CONCACAF Champions League, as well as the first non-Mexican club to reach the finals. Including the predecessor tournament, the Champions' Cup, it was the first time in 11 years an American club reached the North American club final, the last being Los Angeles Galaxy. Additionally, Salt Lake finished third place in both the Western Conference and overall MLS tables during the regular season, thus earning a berth into the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League. In the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, Salt Lake reached the Western Conference Final, but fell to eventual MLS Cup champions, Los Angeles Galaxy. Salt Lake also reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 U.S. Open Cup before falling to eventual semifinalists, FC Dallas. Background Review November Towards the end of November 2010, Major League Soccer held its Expansion Draft for the arrivals of Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Among Salt Lake's unprotected players for the draft, Portland selected two: Robbie Findley and David Horst. Findley, though, following an expired contract with the Royals, declared his intentions to play overseas, with rumors circulating about him possibly playing for Danish Superliga clubs Brøndby and Randers, Premier League club Wolverhampton, even Championship club Nottingham Forest. On November 24, Randers denied rumors that Findley was on trial with the club. Subsequent to the expansion draft, the Royals made a trade with the Timbers to bring in Salvadorian Arturo Alvarez, whom previously played his club soccer for San Jose Earthquakes, in return for allocation money and draft picks. December After much anticipation, Salt Lake agreed to buy striker Alvaro Saborio on loan from the Swiss club Sion on December 1, for a fee of around $1.0M. Saborío, spent the 2010 season on loan with the Royals where he scored 12 league goals and bagged six Champions League goals. He will sign as a Designated Player being the first in club history. After much rumor as to where striker Robbie Findley would end up, he eventually signed for English Championship club Nottingham Forest, making Findley the first RSL player to leave for