Image Credit: MLS Soccer
CHICAGO, IL—All-Star Week kicked off on Sunday at North Avenue Beach with Beach Soccer which all three members of Windy City Soccer participated (and sadly none of whom made the Final in the media tournament). Later on Sunday, it is the MLS Skills Challenge at the PrivateBank Fire Pitch at 3626 N. Talman at 5pm.
MLS legend and former Fire player Brian McBride was one of the guest players on hand at North Avenue Beach and spoke to Rusty Silber and other members of the media about the Homegrown Game and the All-Star Game against Real Madrid.
With the Homegrown Game in which he and Mike Magee will be coaches, McBride expects a tough game from the Liga MX U-20 Champion Chivas U20s.
“Really, one training with [the Homegrown All-Stars], so you’re not under any illusions of putting out a formation and expect players to be able to to adapt to something we teach them or tell them,” said McBride. “Certainly, we’re going to give them ideas so that they will be ready mentally and physically. It’s going to be a tough game against a team that has been a team for a very long time. It’s going to be great test and one test I hope that all of the players that are a part of it enjoy and take away something from it.
As for the All-Star Game at Soldier Field itself, even though Real Madrid are still in preseason mode (and coming off a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in Miami on Saturday), they are still Real Madrid.
“When you go through and look at teams coming in with a preseason situation. They are not going to be as fit as they would be in the season. The exact opposite is true with MLS. They are halfway through their season and fitness levels are going to be very high, but it’s still Real Madrid. They are still a team that’s capable of beating anybody as we’ve seen in the past two years. The best team in the world. It’s going to be a fun experience for everybody, but certainly expect a lot from Real Madrid even though it’s preseason (for them).”
It was a fantastic turnout for Beach Soccer at North Avenue Beach on Sunday. On Monday, both the Homegrown All-Stars and the MLS All-Stars will train at UIC Stadium Field on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Homegrowns will train at 9:30am followed by the MLS All-Stars at 10:45am. Chivas U20s will train at UIC at 7:30pm.
Real Madrid will arrive at approximately between 6:30 and 7:00pm at the Peninsula Hotel (108 E. Superior).
The Men in Blazers of NBCSN fame will hold a live show at the Harris Theater near Millennium Park (205 E. Randolph) at 6:30pm. A post-show drink will take place at 8pm at the Chicago Athletic Association (12 S. Michigan).
Chicago Fire
MLS All-Star
