For the second consecutive year, the UEFA Champions League holders will play MLS clubs on American soil.
Fresh off their stirring 2-0 victory in the Champions League final, Italian giants Inter Milan announced a two-game series against MLS sides. On Aug. 5, Inter will play FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park and will travel to Carson, Calif., to play the Los Angeles Galaxy at home Depot Center two days later.
The Galaxy were involved in last year’s visit by the then-Champions League champs as LA played FC Barcelona at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Aug. 1, a match that drew more than 90,000 supporters.
Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Saturday. World Cup-bound striker Diego Milito scored both goals for the Italian giants, who laid claim to their first European cup title since 1965. Aside from winning Europe, though, Inter swept through Italy and won the scudetto, besting Roma by two points. The Serie A title was their fifth consecutive and 18th overall. Inter also won the Coppa Italia to complete the remarkable treble.
Aside from Milito, Inter feature several World Cup-bound standouts: fellow Argentina star Walter Samuel, Brazil’s Júlio César, Maicon and Lúcio; Netherlands star Wesley Sneijder; Cameroon standout Samuel Eto’o and Honduras veteran David Suazo are among Inter’s cadre of world-class players.
One of the big names responsible for Inter’s European success, though, will likely not be present. Manager José Mourinho is expected to take over with Spanish giants Real Madrid, and Inter Milan could have a new manager when the club comes to the United States.
With Mourinho at the helm, Inter Milan visited the US last summer but only played against international competition. Inter played games against Mexican side Club América, English powers Chelsea and rivals AC Milan.
For FC Dallas, the visit from Inter will be historic, as it will mark their first match against a European opponent. Also, the game will be the biggest non-MLS Cup match in Pizza Hut Park history. Previously, FC Dallas have played home games against the likes of Club América, Chivas de Guadalajara, Brazil's Atlético Paranaense and Comunicaciones of Guatemala.
The Galaxy, meanwhile, have played host to world-renowned clubs at Home Depot Center before. On Sunday, the Galaxy beat Boca Juniors or Argentina 1-0. Last year, the Galaxy hosted AC Milan, and in previous years have played the likes of Chelsea, Rangers and Real Madrid.
Inter Milan will be another world powerhouse to visit the United States this year. Manchester United will play games against Philadelphia and Kansas City – as well as paying a visit to Toronto FC – before meeting the MLS All-Stars in Houston while Celtic and AC Milan will also play MLS clubs this summer. Juventus and Boca Juniors are in the midst of their own visits to the US.
