It’s a big week for Manchester City who will be both conducting more summer transfer business and going on preseason tour in the United States. Let’s cover some news items relating to both of these broader topics. We start with the transfer talk, as Man City are looking to beef up the back line, via the potential addition of Brighton & Hove Albion star Marc Cucurella.
The sticking point holding up a potential agreement, is the transfer fee, with the two English clubs said to be £20 million apart in their valuation.
That’s according to ESPN, who point out that Brighton are holding out for £55m and feel pretty confident that they can get it, given how City have just one true left-back in the squad, Joao Cancelo. With City in need, the mid-table side probably feel they can jack up the price somewhat.
The other first team level LB, Oleksandr Zinchenko, is finalizing a £32m transfer to Arsenal, so they’ll need a replacement for sure.
Elsewhere, Saturday night sees City taking on Bayern Munich, at historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin for a friendly that is being labeled the Audi Football Summit. What should we expect from Bayern? Well, we did a deep dive on their summer preseason over at this link.
Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann, the top priority is adjusting to life after Robert Lewandowski, who is now with FC Barcelona. He’s the biggest outgoing, while the primary incoming is Liverpool scoring sensation Sadio Mane. Also new to the mix are Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui, who both switched to Bayern from Ajax during this off-season.
For the City fans who will be traveling to Green Bay, you’re going to Titletown, a nickname given to the small city that resides on the northern shores of Lake Michigan. It’s fitting for City and their fans, with the Sky Blues having captured four of the last five Premier League titles, and six since 2011.
Titletown refers to the Green Bay Packers, who are arguably the most successful NFL team of all time, thanks to their domination of the sport in both the 1930s and the 1960s
Packers NFL Championships:
1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 (I), 1967 (II), 1996 (XXXI), 2010 (XLV)
Although they have had a recent resurgence of success, to some extent, led by controversial quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The anti-vaxxer QB (who has been very dishonest, publicly, about his vaccination status) has led them to several division titles, and a few NFC Championship games, but he he’s only led them to one Super Bowl.
That said, when the Packers do reach the big game, they rarely lose. Their only Super Bowl loss came in the 1997 edition of the game.
In recent years, they have found a lot of success in the playoffs, and they’ve made the postseason every year sans three, since 2007. They have won their division 21 times, including 12 times in the NFC North format (including the last three), a division created when the NFL realigned in 2000
Those attending the match should also check out the Titletown District, also known as the Titletown Entertainment District or simply Titletown, a mixed-use development located on 45 acres of land adjacent to Lambeau Field (a true cathedral of not just football, but sport itself).
The development, which opened prior to the 2017 NFL season, features restaurants, bars, shopping and a hill that’s used for sledding when the tundra becomes frozen in the winter.
With a 81,000+ capacity at the venue, Titletown and Lambeau Field should provide a rocking atmosphere on Saturday night.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.