MLS players out to impress against Real Madrid
The Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Stars are determined to show they can compete with Europe's best when they take on Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy on Tuesday.
The Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Stars are determined to show they can compete with Europe's best when they take on Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy on Tuesday.
The trophy is Real's traditional home curtain-raiser to their Primera Liga season, which starts on Sunday when they travel to promoted Cadiz.
"We aren't coming here to sit on the edge of the box and to try and keep Real Madrid out," MLS All-Stars head coach Steve Nicol told a news conference on Monday.
"We want to show Real Madrid and the Spanish people that we can play a bit ourselves."
"We're really looking forward to playing some great players, playing at a great stadium and obviously we are here to do well."
The former Liverpool and Scotland player, who now coaches New England Revolution in the MLS, said his 18-man squad are keen to measure their progress against some of the world's best known players.
"The MLS compares well to all other leagues. Real Madrid have been over to the United States in the last two seasons and the teams they have played have did well against them," he said.
"We have players from every team in the league here. This will give us an idea of how well we compare."
"The U.S. national team has shown that the U.S. as a whole is rising as a football nation."
The United States are currently ranked sixth in the FIFA world rankings.
Two of the All-Stars squad, former France midfielder Youri Djorkaeff and Landon Donovan, agreed with Nicol's assertions.
"We are not just here to look at their stars. We are here to play and to compete," said Donovan. "We haven't had the greatest preparation arriving this morning to play tomorrow but we are here to win."
"It is a good chance for the European people to see how soccer is played in America. I am proud to be a part of this team and looking forward to playing because I have never played in Madrid before," Djorkaeff added.
The surprise in Real's squad was the inclusion of central defender Jonathan Woodgate who is still to make his debut for Real. The 25-year-old has been sidelined with a thigh injury since moving from Newcastle United last August.