It is looking rather likely that the only American who will feature in the friendly between Chelsea FC and Borussia Dortmund, which will be staged in the Midwestern United States, is Gaga Slonina. Not Gio Reyna, as he sat out the last match, a 3-2 win over Manchester United in Las Vegas, due to a fitness issue, and obviously not Christian Pulisic, who was transferred to AC Milan.
While this match won’t have an American bent to it, it will be a clash of two very iconic clubs with a massive global following.
Club Friendly FYIs
Chelsea FC vs Borussia Dortmund
Kickoff: 7:30pm CST Wed. Aug. 2, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL, USA
Team News: Chelsea FC Borussia Dortmund
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea FC Borussia Dortmund
Gaga Slonina Player Profiles: here, here and here
Buy Low, Sell High: the BVB Way: go here
Watch: ESPN+
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
And Pulisic played for both. Amazingly, these two teams only met for the first time in a competitive match this year. That came in the spring when the Blues emerged victorious, two goals to one on aggregate, in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. It was probably the lone highlight of the Graham Potter era; which was so short that I’m not even sure we’re allowed to even call it an “era.
Maybe Reyna is fit and he features?
Borussia Dortmund Team News
Maybe he won’t be risked, as it is just an exhibition match. BVB have a couple more injuries to deal with, as both Nico Schlotterbeck and Julien Duranville remain in the treatment room.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.