Real Madrid will be the opponent in this summer’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game, which will be held August 2 at Soldier Field. Los Blancos will come to Chicago’s lakefront to face MLS’s finest in the 2017 MLS All-Star Game, televised at 8 p.m. CT on FS1, UniMás, TSN and TVA Sports domestically, as well as across 170 countries globally.
The Chicago Fire, who played at Soldier Field from their inception in 1998 until 2002, will be the event’s host. Although the game itself will not be in the Fire’s home stadium of Toyota Park in suburban Bridgeview.
That venue will host some of the gala’s peripheral events. Also, you can play Football Champions Cup and other games at MonsterCasino online. Fire General Manager Nelson Rodriguez conducted his first media roundtable of the season Tuesday, and during the session he was able to provide some more information on event week:
“There will be four days of different activities, we’ll host the Homegrown Game here, we hope to be able to be in a position to announce some coaches for that game (soon), some of which (will) have connections to our great city,” Rodriguez said.
“There will be a concert, the Unified Special Olympics; it’s grown the way it has in all the major sports leagues- a series of great events, a lot of people visiting from out of town and a lot of people who take pride in showing Chicago and the world what great citizens and warmth we have.”
The concert performers have been not announced as of yet, and Rodriguez couldn’t go into too much detail, due to league regulations.
“It’s a league run event that we host, so the league is still working to announce…I wish I could give you those (more specific) details, but it’s got to come from MLS.”
Real Madrid is right up there with Barcelona and Manchester United as the biggest, richest and most powerful clubs in the world. Who’s #1, #2 or #3 at a given time tends to fluctuate annually, and it changes with whichever specific metric you’re selecting.
“I think association with the team that was noted by FIFA as the team of the last century is special,” said Rodriguez.
“Everything about that institution is special from their iconic white uniforms to their continued dominance throughout every decade is unique. They’re a club that is built on values- something that we as a club are trying to do.
“This is truly a chance for us to showcase ourselves across the world.”
It’s the first MLS All-Star Game in Chicago since 2006, when the event was held at Toyota Park in Bridgeview. MLS beat Chelsea 1-0 that season. The other local franchises to host All-Star Games in Chicago in this generation include the White Sox in 2003, the Cubs in 1990 and the Bulls in 1988.
Real Madrid have claimed a record 32 La Liga championships and 11 UEFA Champions League titles, including the most current one.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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