MLS All-Star opponent is Atletico Madrid for Orlando game

By: Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press Posted: 8:15 AM CDT Thursday, May. 2, 2019 Last Modified: 9:09 AM CDT Thursday, May. 2, 2019

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Atletico Madrid will be the opponent in this summer's Major League Soccer All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida.

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Atletico Madrid will be the opponent in this summer's Major League Soccer All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/05/2019 (2682 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Atletico Madrid will be the opponent in this summer’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida.

The 10-time La Liga champions are the second team from the Spanish league to play in the showcase after Real Madrid in 2017 in Chicago.

This year’s game is July 31 at Orlando City Stadium.

FILE - In this April 6, 2019, file photo, Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann, center, vies for the ball with Barcelona midfielder Arthur, left, and Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, right, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match in Barcelona, Spain. Atletico Madrid will be the opponent for the Major League Soccer All-Star game this summer in Orlando. The 10-time La Liga champions are the second team from the league to play the domestic All-Stars, joining Real Madrid, the opponents in the 2017 game in Chicago. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

The game traditionally pits the league’s top players against international clubs and the domestic league is 8-4-3 in the game. Foreign clubs use the game to prepare for their seasons and expand North American fan bases.

Last year, the MLS All-Stars played to a 1-1 draw with Juventus in Atlanta.

“Every MLS All-Star game is a fantastic opportunity,” said Dom Dwyer, forward for host Orlando City. “I think it’s a real enjoyable event. I’ve gotten to play against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, teams I’ve dreamed of playing against.”

Atletico sits behind leader Barcelona in the Spanish league. The club features forward Antoine Griezmann, who was on France’s World Cup-winning team in Russia. He has 15 goals and nine assists this season.

The All-Star Game will likely reunite Griezmann and LAFC’s Carlos Vela — both played for Real Sociedad. Vela leads MLS with 11 goals in 10 games this season.

“It’s going to be nice to play against the best players in MLS,” Griezmann said. “The league continues to improve every year. I (could) even see myself playing there in the future. It’s a league that I like and it will be nice for us to play them.”

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