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Bale, Modric, Kroos in; Ronaldo out of Real Madrid roster for MLS All-Star Game

Cristiano Ronaldo will not be involved in this summer’s MLS All-Star Game, but several of Real Madrid’s heavy-hitters will be making the trip.

Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos headline the Spanish giant’s roster for their trip to the U.S. Real is set to play matches in the International Champions Cup before taking on the MLS All-Stars on August 2 in Chicago.

First, Real Madrid will travel to Los Angeles ahead of matches against Manchester United and Manchester City on July 23 and 26, respectively. A U.S.-based El Clasico soon follows as the reigning Champions League winners face off with rival Barcelona on July 29 in Miami before kicking off All-Star festivities.

Ronaldo’s exclusion comes following his time in the Confederations Cup with Portugal while an ongoing tax case is set to go to trial on July 31.

Here’s a closer look at the Real Madrid roster:

GOALKEEPERS: Keylor Navas, Kiko Casilla, Ruben Yanez, Luca Zidane

DEFENDERS: Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Theo Hernandez, Danilo, Luis Quezada, Alvaro Tejero, Achraf Hakimi, Manu Hernando

MIDFIELDERS: Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Luka Modric, Isco, Mateo Kovacic, Oscar, Franchu

FORWARDS: Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Lucas Vazquez, Alvaro Morata, Dani Gomez

Comments

  1. we should handicap the off-season team three goals and then mercilessly destroy their rusty, vacationing, out of shape players with extreme prdjudice. the free three points is the only “nice” thing they’ll see for 90 minutes of footballing hell.

    just an idea

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  2. Both the league and their opponent get a good chunk of money from the game, much more so than the East vs. West format was ever able to produce. Love it or hate it, it’s not changing anytime soon.

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  3. I’m shocked that CR won’t play, SHOCKED I tell ya! I expect that by game day, several more of them will be unavailable. But MLS continues down this road each year anyway.

    I actually think we should do away from the All Star Game all together. Yes, I know the other big sports do it, so what? But if we insist on continuing with it, then I think we’ve reached a point in MLS that we can field two decent teams of East vs. West.

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    • This is MLS amateur hour. The idea of a an All-Star team playing in a scrimmage against a pre-season Euro club team essentially on holiday is a joke.

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    • I really wish they would go back to East v West – like you said, the league has more than 10 teams now. Winning conference hosts MLS Cup.

      Treating their preseason games as real is beneath us at this point.

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    • I disagree with all of you. If it’s an East vs West game I won’t watch and I assume many others also wouldn’t. There is no interest there, and there isn’t this whole “who is better? Conference vs Conference thing” in MLS that exists in a sport like baseball. Pre-season meaningless exhibition or not, I’d much rather see that big European club play vs MLS. It gives you something to root for. Why do I care if the Western conference beats the East?? At least in this format we can see something like that Porter and Guardiola situation.

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      • I think the current format stinks because of exactly this story: MLS will promote some big European club gracing us with their presence, then their biggest stars will bail anyway (or play 20 minutes before being subbed out). If I want to see CR or Madrid play, I will watch Ligua or Champions League game. The ASG is basically a glorified scrimmage for them.

        I’m not saying an East vs. West game is very exciting (thus my preference for scrapping the whole thing), but it would still be better than what we’re getting now.

  4. Did not realize Zidane also has a goalkeeping son.

    Not surprised that CR7 won’t be there….but he is prominently mentioned in the radio ads promoting tickets in the Chicago-land-area, unfortunately.

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