This Sunday, July 24th, Autzen Stadium will be roaring with the sound of soccer fans from all over the world joining together to attend an International Champions Cup match. F.C. Internazionale Milano (known also as “Inter Milan”) will be taking on Paris Saint-Germain, beginning at 2 p.m.
The International Champions Cup is a tournament that is designed to spread the popularity of soccer by sending top European soccer clubs to the United States, Australia and China for friendly matches. This year, 17 clubs are involved, 10 of which are playing in the United States.
“It will be more than just a soccer match; it will be a huge event,” University of Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a press conference on April 5. “There will be people coming down. Its elite level athletics and I think it will really energize people just to come and see it. I think Autzen is a great setting for it.”
Inter Milan has been practicing at the University of Portland to prepare for its matchup with PSG. Although they finished fourth last season in Serie A, the top Italian league, the squad will be missing 10 players on Sunday.
“They are on holiday, playing in the European Championship, the American Cup,” Inter manager Roberto Mancini said. He remained optimistic, saying that he is confident that his team can play a good game.
Star forward Stevan Jovetić spoke fondly of the MLS and expressed his excitement to play his sport on a global platform.
“I think it’s great when the big teams are traveling around the world,” Jovetić said . “I think it helps [the growth of soccer] a lot because everywhere we have fans, and it’s good for them to meet the players.”
Jovetić also believes that the International Champions Cup is a great opportunity to face talented teams, which helps him and his teammates prepare for their regular season.
Inter Milan is one of the top teams in the Serie A Italian Football League. They have the second most Italian championships- tied with A.C. Milan- at eighteen, trailing their rival, Juventus, which has won thirty-two championships.
The last national championship that Inter Milan won was in the 2009-2010 season, and Mancini is ready to reclaim the title.
“We’re not magicians; we can only improve if we work hard,” Mancini said. “I think it’s important to be here, to play this game, and to play with different players.”
Sunday’s match will present the first time an event of this size has been held at Autzen since the rock band U2 played a show at the venue in 1997. It will also present a rare opportunity to witness two European powerhouses battle it out as they prepare for their respective seasons.
Follow Alexa Chedid on Twitter @alexachedid18
Inter Milan trains on University of Portland campus, prepares for match at Autzen Stadium
Alexa Chedid
July 18, 2016
This Sunday, July 24th, Autzen Stadium will be roaring with the sound of soccer fans from all over the world joining together to attend an International Champions Cup match. F.C. Internazionale Milano (known also as “Inter Milan”) will be taking on Paris Saint-Germain, beginning at 2 p.m. The International Champions …
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