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AS Roma announced as 2013 MLS All Star Game opponent

ASRomaBalzarettiCelebrates (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Major League Soccer finally announced the opponent at the 2013 All Star Game in Kansas City, and at least one player on that team should be a household name to U.S. soccer fans.

U.S. international Michael Bradley and Serie A side A.S. Roma will come to Sporting Park on July 31 to face off against the MLS All Stars, pitting the likes of Bradley, Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, and club captain Francesco Totti against this season’s crop of All Stars.

The match will be the first time that Bradley faces MLS opposition since he left the New York Metrostars at the end of the 2005 season. Roma’s visit to Kansas City will mark the first time a Serie A side has taken part in the annual All Star Game.

What do you make of this news? Excited to see Bradley and Totti? Don’t like the choice? Who would you have liked to face the MLS All Stars?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. How about CD Chivas USA v. State of California?
    That’s the 2013 matchup that I’m really looking forward to.

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  2. Fwiw, Roma had a pretty good turnout for their matches here in Chicago and in Boston.

    Kansas City has an awesome fan base, so I’m sure they’ll help provide an awesome atmosphere.

    Reply
  3. I’d love to see Dempsey and Altidore in Italy. Maybe Dempsey at Napoli or Lazio with Jozy heading to Fiorentina

    why do all our guys head to England? Historically it was always Germany, well lower divisions inside Germany. why not SPAIN OR ITALY?

    Reply
  4. The All Star Game should always be between the likes of

    Man U, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, AC Milan, Porto

    Roma is a big club but it’s more of a Valencia/Tottenham Spurs/Schalke in that it will draw a club, but it’s not the kinda club you’d drop $100 and drive 10hrs to see

    Reply
  5. lol what, Roma isn’t good enough for us? come on guys, this is a good change from the usual. plus we get to see Bradley.

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  6. I love it. Roma is an exciting team to watch and Bradley’s my favorite member of the USMNT. Two thumbs up.

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  7. This is brilliant PR move by MLS, with Mikey Bradley playing against the all-stars. And also smart of Roma to agree to get attention in the U.S. Do not understand how anyone can complain about this. True, Roma is not an elite team, but it is a fun team to watch with plenty of emotion and maybe we‘ll get see de Rossi doing one of his famous pitiful dives.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOzdi6T0qxc

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  8. I wouldn’t say huge. Roma have a rich history and the Bradley connection is nice. It’s good to mix it up. Thank goodness the All-Star Game wasn’t part of the NYCFC deal.

    Reply
    • What’s the rush? The league can award NYCFC the 2015 ASG, invite Man City that year, stage the thing in Yankee Stadium, and really call attention to its new, gobally recognized partners in a much more splashy setting. And with players from NYCFC on the field, that much more meaningful.

      Mental note for September 2014: check newly released MLB schedule for 2015. Do Yankees just happen to have a road trip during ASG week in August? Hmmm.

      Reply
    • lets run it back:

      2003 Chivas
      2005 Fulham
      2006 Chelsea
      2007 Celtic
      2008 West Ham
      2009 Everton
      2010 Man U
      2011 Man U
      2012 Chelsea

      Chelsea & Manchester aside, who is a step up from Roma? (let alone a HUGE step)

      should we just have Man U every year then?

      Reply
      • I agree and personally I like that MLS chose Roma. Bradley will be fun to watch. Should be a competitive game.

        My criticism would be that the MLS could’ve aimed a little higher. Was Juventus busy? There are a couple of teams in Spain I wouldn’t mind seeing get invited to this type of game.

        They just need to keep mixing in different/quality opponents.

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