One of the uncertainties of the MLS season should be cleared up on Wednesday.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, MLS will announce the opponent for the 2012 MLS All-Star Game at a press conference tomorrow. The MLS All-Stars have taken on a club from the United Kingdom in each of the last seven seasons, with Manchester United being the opponent the last two years. That trend could continue this year, as there has been plenty of speculation that Chelsea, the MLS opponent in 2006, is potentially going to be this year's foe at PPL Park on July 25.
Chelsea, which will play the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on July 18, is among the European clubs that have already announced plans for summer friendlies in the United States. Others include Tottenham, AC Milan, Liverpool, Roma and Aston Villa. Liverpool and Roma, though, would not be viable options to be the All-Star opponent considering they are playing in Boston on the same day as the All-Star Game.
Who do you want to be the opponent for the MLS All-Stars? Would you be pleased with a MLS-Chelsea rematch?
Share your thoughts below.
liverpol or Ac ,ilan would be cool
East vs west
I’d love to see a Spanish club. Not Barcelona or Real Madrid, but something along the lines of Valencia, Sevilla, or Atletico Madrid.
We keep seeing English teams lately. I’d like to see a club from another country – Barca, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Schalke…somebody!
(I’m thinking Barca – who wouldn’t want to see Messi light it up in the States?)
arsenal or man city
How about the Foster City Fury AYSO U16 girls team? It would be nice for the MLS All Stars to face a team they might be able to beat without it being a total cakewalk.
The Mexican Primera division all-stars. If not them, the full USMNT with players like Donovan playing a half with each (I know this could be tough schedule-wise).
If neither of those, then two games, Rangers as a tune-up, then Barca or Real Madrid. Squad should train together for at least a week.
Good idea, but I think MLS is only looking at English teams for now, probably because the average American soccer fan is more familiar with (and therefore more likely to watch) an English team. They’ll probably expand to other leagues eventually, but I think we’ll be seeing Premier League scrubs for the foreseeable future.
Aston Villa would provide a decent barometer of where the best if the MLA compare to a struggling Premiere League club, as far as difficulty of respective leagues are concerned. However, that’s hardly the “glamorous” club that will draw the anticipated crowd. AC Milan would bring the most viewership with their star-studded side, although the fanbase for either London club is a growing market in the States as well.
EAST VS. WEST. PERIOD.
EAST VS WEST ALREADY. We r good enough. Also with Henry-Beckham only playing once this year this would be another ticket draw to see them.
Harrisburg City Islanders
FC Barcelona or Real Madrid. No more MAN United!!!!
E vs W or NO ONE
MLS could probably beat Chelsea right now. Or at least force a draw with a goal after the 75th minute.
The Concacaf champions league Final winner
There are enough good players in MLS that it is unnecessary to play foreign teams. They should do east west or American and Canadian Players v. foreign players.
I would like to see a top German side. Dortmund, Schalke or Bayern Munich
Liga De Quito de la Republica del Ecuadorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! (Quechua accent)
I would like to no longer see EPL teams. MLS needs to start building relationships with other major European Leagues. Seria A and La Liga teams come for their pre-seasons during the summer. Why not get one of those teams?
Seriously, Messi would be sick. They could put it in a huge stadium and it would sell out. But we are dreaming to think that could ever happen.
It would also give the all star game more coverage than another EPL team, yawn.
Realistically, I would like to see any other club than an EPL club. What about south of the border? Mexico has some great teams as proven by their dominance in champions league.
The east vs. west format had dismal television ratings after the 2nd year. Every other sport has that format as their all-star game. It makes no sense to go back to doing that.
How about taking on Club America or Boca Juniors, or a Brazilian team. Let’s see some Latin American flair added to the All-Star game. Chivas is the only non-british team the all-stars have ever played and that was 9 years ago. Or, how about the Brazil Olympic team? The timing of the all-star game would be a perfect tune-up for one of the Olympic squads.
East vs West would be great – or Domestic (US & Canadian) vs. International. I’d rather see either of those than bringing in a foreign team.
Or, better yet, scrap the game all together and use the extra calendar space to clear FIFA/CCL dates.
Bayern Munich
+1 The whole idea of assembling a team in week and going up against a club who has been together for seasons, not to mention that the club is better to start, is a recipe for disaster. If we must do this MLS XI vs. FMF XI makes the most sense. keep the mls clubs vs. euro club match ups.
the MLS XI vs. UNMNT aint a bad idea tho.
MLS v. Mexican Primera Division All-Stars. No other format makes any sense. Playing EPL teams makes MLS look ridiculous and illegitimate.
I think they have only lost once or maybe twice.
DPs vs. Non-DPs. You know, why not?
Or, how about – whatever team transfers for Clint Dempsey? Too bad they can’t hold off the announcement for that.
+1
Chelsea…please. Villa play against the U on July 18th, a week before. So scratch them. Liverpool and Roma out…looks like Spurs, AC Milan & Blues. Saw Milan play Blues in Baltimore 3 years ago. It was one of the better friendly matches I’ve seen the last few years in the U.S. Of course, Milan had some bigger named stars at the time than they do now, so I’d think I’d rather see Spurs or Chelsea from that litter.
Everton, with Donovan wearing an Everton jersey and playing for his new club after his transfer.
an interesting option
Everton, with Donovan wearing an Everton jersey and playing for his new club after his transfer.
Hear hear!
how about a 5-side Barca vs. MLS XI
——-Messi——
-Xavi——Inesta-
—–Pique——–
—–Valdez——-
Arsenal or a German team
Goal = 2 / Assist = 1
Premier League
RVP – 61
Rooney – 48
Aguero – 39
Dempsey – 37
Adebayor – 37
Ba – 34
Mata – 33
USWNT. I have ghe perfect tag line, too : Shirts v Skins ((ladies would wear jerseys of course.)
A team of Journalists including Ives
pretty sure they’re going on Asian tours this summer
Would love to see Newcastle, obviously.
+1
Dana White and Chad Ochocinco
1. Kashima Antlers
2. Barcelona
I would like to see any team with US talent. They might try to get a “bigger name team” for the All-star game, but for the other matches at least I would like to see some of the German teams with our USMNT players come over, Fulham, Everton, Flying Donkey’s, Bolton, Rangers, AZ, etc.
I’d either want to see East vs West or a team like PSG
If MLS is so hell bent on having a pointless all star game, then do a real All Star game. Have it East v. West and throw in a skills competition.
11 Clint Dempsey’s
As much as I would have loved to see Barca or Real Madrid, MLS wouldn’t schedule them. Even if they could do it financially, there’s too much difference in class – why embarass the league? MLS will have a better chance to do well against a more direct EPL-style team. I wouldn’t mind seeing MLS all stars against Mexican league all stars.
Don’t need Man City – they can just send Balotelli (if he’s still around) and he’ll be more entertainment than any other single team.
Fulham. Or whatever team Deuce happens to play for at the time.
I like the Brazil Olympic team idea. Ensure that the 3 overage players are included and that might sell tix.
MLS XI could probably put the hurt on Bolton and Rangers.
an idea whose time has come and gone. it’s unneccesary at this point.
I agree, it should be an exhibition or showcase of MLS players only.
ups to teh skillz comp
Portsmouth…before Pompey falls into the Channel…
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WEST VS EAST OR BARCELONA, R.MADRID, BAYER MUNICH, SANTOS(BRZ),NAPOLI, AC MILAN, CELTICS, BOCA JR, OR USWNT..
WHAT?
AC Milan
Nobody, it’s pretty stupid. Give the players some extra cash because that’s always good but this exhibition is sort of silly at this point.
“The Mexican Primera division all-stars.”
+1
An all-star team from the Mexican league.
Beat me to it
East vs West
Come on! That’s the only way we become legitimate as a league. If we keep stacking MLS talent vs ONE club then that doesn’t prove squat! We don’t need a Euro club in order to fill the stadium.
West vs East
Right on!
+1
Apparently MLS blows so bad it can only come up with one team of “all-stars”.
BS! MLS All-stars = East vs. West
Some of us actually like the league and want to see its best players play each other.
nothing says second class like a game of the leagues best players vs. a regular league team from a good league.
That type of game is pure marketing. Unfortunately, for european fans it would only prove to them we are a second class “retirement” league.
East vs. West!
Let the MLS fans enjoy their own league and get to see some good players play each other. Some of the story lines might even add to some in-league drama.
You do realise that the Manchester Uniteds adn Real Madrids and Barcelonas and Chelseas of teh world are basically All-star teams. They have the best players playing for them. I don’t understand how people don’t realise this.
MLS All-Stars v. MPD All-Stars would be better, no?
AMEN
That’s actually not a bad idea. But MLS would still lose because it is not a tea. It’s a group of players.
This might make it more fair. Fact is MLS All Stars is not a team. ANy team with chemistry would beat MLS All Stars. Let’s just say that LA or Seattle could beat the MLS ALl Stars.
Now as far as avoiding being embarassed, the Mexican Primera could easily just send out their Mexican U-23 team and have them represent the league since it is a team of players that is completely made up of its league. So it still might not be fair.
You do realize that the FMF All stars could choose to go with a variety of recent Mexican National team rosters that have been made up of non-foreign players. Even the U-23 team that represented Mexico was made up of nothing but Mexican league players. Therefore if you are talking about keeping things fair by having two non-”teams” play each other, the FMF all stars could easily field a team with chemistry.
I like EAST vs WEST or USMNT vs MLS. Otherwise have an actual club play against Chelsea.
First, I’m opposed to the idea of the All Star game. It’s embarrassing having a non-team with no chemistry lose bad and it makes the league look horrible. I don’t mind EAST vs WEST or MLS vs USMNT or Canada.
But since Garber cares about money, we won’t stop seeing a MLS All Star game like we have been seeing. But I too am sick of seeing English Clubs play every year. I think it’s the fact that MLS is targeting the English speaking market in English speaking nations.
Really, so forget all the Latinos that watch the Spanish league. Plus a Spanish side would show more skill and better play than a long ball English team.
Tim Ream still blows