Wednesday
night, at one of the most famous baseball parks in the world, a game of
football will be played in the city that never sleeps. And it will be played by
two European footballing giants. In fact, they are two of the best known and
most successful football clubs in the world. With world class players (and
Bonera and Antonini) as well as world class coaches (okay, “class” may be a
stretch on this one,) this could prove to be one of the most epic matches of
the year. Except it’s only a friendly. So check your outrageous expectations at
the parking lot, and Play Ball!
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| Who will score the first home run? |
Very
few of the “World Football Challenge” matches in the United States have felt
like they lived up to a name so pretentious as that, the most recent being Real
Madrid’s match vs. Santos Laguna. Who? Exactly. Pitting one of Europe’s most
elite clubs against one of Mexico’s first division clubs and having them both
face off in the crazy desert heat seems more like a gladiator event, with Real
Madrid being the lions. Only at times, they looked more like kittens, and their
2-1 win hardly seemed epic.
Or
just a day earlier, when Milan faced off against Honduran
giants CD Olimpia, in the heat and humidity of Boston. At least Milan
started out playing like lions and managed a 3-1 win, with their goal conceded
late when everyone was tired. These matches were really more challenging due to
the weather condition, more “Survivor” than “World Football Challenge.”
For
me, Wednesday will be more about any drama that occurs around the event. For
example, will Kaká take advantage of being on United States soil and defect to
Milan, asking for political asylum? What will Jose Mourinho say about Allegri
or Milan to insult them on this night? Or even more importantly, will he try to
poke Tassotti in the eye?
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| Who will he blame if Milan win? |
What
percentage of the players’ names will the commentators pronounce correctly? And
will the huge rivalry of Cristiano Ronaldo and Daniele Bonera finally be
realized? I mean, two world class players of the same caliber facing off, it’s
got to be epic, right? Also, now that our boys have been to an American
baseball game, will they know the words to “Take Me Out To The Ball Game”
should they accidentally play it over the PA system? Or if throwing bananas is
considered racial abuse, if the fans throw peanuts, is that considered calling
them elephants and abusing players for obesity and pre-season fitness issues?
So many questions to be answered.
But
the biggest question of the night will be Allegri’s lineups. For example, which
player will he try to make into a trequartista
on this night? Urby is so last season. Cassano did well enough on Saturday,
will it be him? Or will he go back to his “false 9” number 10 Boateng? And who
will he start up front? Robinho and El Shaarawy both did well with Cassano
behind them, but wouldn’t just about anyone? And will he start any of the youth
players, given that this is their last chance to impress on this tour? Nah, who
am I fooling? This is Allegri.
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| Sorry, Cristante, Allegri likes 'em a little older |
In
the midfield, it is hard to imagine him not starting Nocerino. If I could take
that man’s workrate and eye for goal and bottle it, it would probably become an
illegal substance. But the other positions are questionable. Will he go with
the tried and true captain, Ambrosini in the middle or give Montolivo another
chance? Will he give Urby a start on the left, since he’s said he will now NOT
be playing at left back this season? (and given his other stellar preseason
performances?) Or will he try to see how long Traoré can stay on the pitch
without getting carded?
In
the back I’d guess he’d start with Abate on the right. I don’t know if he’d
change the Bonera-Acerbi center back pairing, at least to start, although we
haven’t seen Yepes much preseason, maybe he’ll get a go? And will Mesbah’s
performance on Saturday earn him a start over Antonini? It’s hard to know. When
Allegri makes jokes about playing Kaká as a regista
should he come to Milan, it’s hard to take his starting lineups seriously.
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| Galliani may be talking to the wrong guy, Kaká still belongs to Jesus |
But
nothing in this game should be taken seriously. They’re playing on a converted
baseball field, for goodness sake. And just because it’s an incredibly famous
one doesn’t make it a football pitch beyond a few games they’ve got scheduled
there. Just like lining up some of our players with “potential” against a squad
full of players who cost more than their weight in gold does not make them
world class. No, class is determined both on and off the pitch, and I hope more
than anything that Milan show that even if our “potential” is perhaps lacking,
our class truly is world class. (translation: don’t piss of Mourinho, we don’t
want to look like Barca.)
So
step up, get your hot dogs, get your peanuts, and do the wave. It may be two
giants of football, playing in America’s largest city, but it is only a
friendly after all. We already beat the reigning
European champions, so for this one we can sit back, relax and enjoy the
show. Play Ball!
This post was inspired by the music
of “Take Me Out To the Ball Game”
AC Milan vs. Real Madrid
Wednesday,
August 8th • 8:00 pm EDT
Yankee
Stadium, New York, NY, U.S.A.
This match will be broadcast on
ESPN2 on TV and ESPN3 online in the U.S.
Congratulations to Sam Lewis for being voted our Milan Obsession Honorary DS for a day for his fabulous mercato choices!
Check out this fantastic new Fantasy Serie A game from my fabulous former co-blogger, Jovan