The 22nd edition of the MLS All-Star Game promises to be one of the most thrilling we've ever seen for American soccer fans. The mere fact that Real Madrid is going to be the team that the MLS All-Stars are hosting is exciting for sure. The fact that the MLS All-Stars figure to at least be in it with a chance against a team that just won the Champions League last season should flat out make American soccer fans giddy.
The MLS All-Star Game will go down Wednesday, August 2, 2017, at 9 p.m. ET at Soldier Field. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
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Odds Analysis
There's no doubt that Real Madrid has to be a relatively sizeable favorite in this match. Los Galacticos are going to have the better side and the more coherent side for sure even though they haven't had a good tour in the United States in the preseason.
Real Madrid has been beaten by Manchester United, Manchester City and Barcelona thus far in the International Cup of Champions. Manager Zinedine Zidane doesn't seem all that concerned, though a fourth straight setback, this one against an all-star team that will have just a couple practices under its belt before taking the pitch, won't sit well even though the fixture officially means nothing.
It's possible we could see a total as high as a flat 4 in this one. The MLS All-Star Game has featured at least three goals in seven straight seasons. After Real Madrid and Barcelona played out to five goals in Miami on Saturday night, there's little reason to believe this will be anything but a striker's dream.
Roster Analysis
The big absentee from the Real Madrid lineup is Cristiano Ronaldo. CR7 has had a tumultuous offseason filled with all sorts of rumors that he was unhappy in Spain and was seeking a transfer back to England and the Premier League. Essentially, he's gone AWOL from the roster, extending his own summer vacation without much reason until after the team is back from the United States.
It's a disappointment for sure, but after the 3-2 El Clasico in Miami, it's clear that this Real Madrid team isn't lacking options to score. We're not sure that Keylor Navas and Gareth Bale are going to play the whole match against the MLS All-Stars as they did in Miami against Barcelona, but that probably won't make a difference in terms of the star power that is out there. Other superstars like Dani Cavajal, Nacho, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Karim Benzema are all expected to be in the Starting XI.
The MLS All-Stars include 24 players, 11 of which are homegrown in the United States. Tim Howard, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore are all regular superstars on the U.S. Men's National Team and should be the heroes of this team as well. But keep in mind there are plenty of players who have been overseas and know exactly the quality of what they're up against. Giovani dos Santos, Kaka, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Diego Valeri, and Sebastian Giovinco are all international players who have been overseas in some respect, and they should bring a lot of experience to this team.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
One of the greatest days in the history of the MLS came three years ago when the MLS All-Stars beat Bayern Munich 2-1.
We suspect this American team is going to be ready for this fight, and we can't say that we see the same out of Real Madrid. If Los Blancos were in better form, perhaps we would feel better about backing it. But the MLS All-Stars clearly see the importance of this match, and we aren't sure that Real Madrid is going to care about it. Zinedine Zidane knows that this team needs to get back in form at some point, but he doesn't seem all that concerned about the team's lack of form in the United States. We shouldn't believe in this team as a favorite either.
MLS Odds: MLS All-Stars 3, Real Madrid 2
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