The participants consist of eight of soccer’s most storied clubs, which are divided into two groups of four. Manchester United, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and AS Roma make up Pool 1, while Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Olympiacos and AC Milan will battle it out in Pool B.
The teams will take part in round robin games, with the pool winners taking on each other in the final on August 4 in Miami’s Sun Life Stadium. The soccer festival will feature 13 games in all and will take place over 12 cities around North America.
English Premier League champions Manchester City take on Liverpool, who ran them very close to the title last season, on July 30 at 7 p.m. at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Fans of the Reds can look forward to seeing a strong squad next week. Steven Gerrard (who retired from international soccer on Monday), Daniel Sturridge, Philipe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling are part of manager Brandon Rodgers’ traveling party, as are new signings Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert, both of whom came from Southampton in the close season.
The Liverpool touring party arrived in Boston on Sunday and Rogers, who is originally from Carlough, Co. Antrim, was in good spirits on arrival.
“We’re delighted to have returned to the United States, and I am very proud to bring the Liverpool squad to see some of our most loyal and passionate fans in the world,” he said on Liverpool website.
Manchester City arrived in the U.S. on Monday, and also has a strong roster to choose from, including their new signing from Malaga, goalkeeper Willy Caballero. City boss Manuel Pellegrini brought in the 32-year-old Argentinean to give starter Joe Hart some real competition for the jersey.
Manchester City and the New York Yankees have strong ties, having inked a deal earlier this year to co-own new soccer franchise New York City FC, who will start playing in the MLS in 2015.
Other games in nearby cities include the July 29 clash between Inter Milan and Manchester United, who will have new manager Louis van Gaal at the helm, at FedExField in Washington, D.C. The Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia will host the all-Italian clash between Serie A bigwigs Roma and Inter Milan on August 2.
For a full list of fixtures and to buy tickets for the Liverpool/Manchester City game next week, visit internationalchampionscup.com.
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