Real Madrid is competing in metro Phoenix for the first time, on Thursday, Aug. 1. They’ll face the Los Angeles Galaxy, the two-time defending Major League Soccer champions, in the first round of the International Champions Cup tournament.
1. Real Madrid is the second-most-valuable sports team in the world (ahead of any American sports team), valued at $1.88 billion in 2013, according to Forbes magazine. The International Champions Cup tournament, which is hosted in seven cities, boasts eight of the most famous soccer clubs in the world from England, Italy, Spain and the U.S., but Real Madrid is the most popular of all. You’d be hard pressed to find a corner of the planet that didn’t have soccer fans who support Real Madrid. Needless to say, Real Madrid playing a match at University of Phoenix Stadium is a major coup for the Valley sports community and may never happen again.
Goalkeepers: Antonio Adan, Iker Casillas, Diego Lopez
Defenders: Alvaro Arbeloa, Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Marcelo, Fabio Coentrao, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Nacho
Midfielders: Angel Di Maria, Casemiro, Isco, Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira, Kaka, Luka Modric, Mesut Ozil, Asier Illarramendi
Forwards: Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jese Rodriguez
LA Galaxy (4-4-2): Rowe; Franklin, Meyer, Leonardo, Dunivant; Jimenez, Sarvas, Juninho, Clark; Zardes, Villarreal.
ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Carlo Cudicini, Brian Rowe, Brian Perk
Defenders: Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, Sean Franklin, Bryan Gaul, A.J. DeLaGarza, Tommy Meyer, Leonardo, Kofi Opare, Greg Cochrane
Midfielders: Pablo Mastroeni, Marcelo Sarvas, Landon Donovan, Colin Clark, Robbie Rogers, Hector Jimenez, Juninho, Rafael Garcia, Michael Stephens, Kenney Walker, Oscar Sorto
Forwards: Robbie Keane, Charlie Rugg, Gyasi Zardes, Chandler Hoffman, Jack McBean, Jose Villarreal
