Major League Soccer have announced that Juventus will be the opponents for the annual MLS All-Star game this summer. The Serie A champions will visit Atlanta United's Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on August 1 to take on the best of the MLS players.
The midseason showcase annually attracts the most prominent clubs in the world, and Juventus follow in the footsteps of the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich. The city of Atlanta is currently riding a football wave of hype as Atlanta United are drawing in crowds of over 70,000 for their home games, and MLS will tap into that success by bringing the party to the people.
Atlanta United's Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host the 2018 MLS All-Stars game against Juventus.
As MLS strives to establish itself as a respected global league, you'd have to question how much longer these All-Star games can continue for. Especially as it disrupts the competitive season to accommodate the European off-season. Still, it's business, and by the most part is largely entertaining. The MLS All-Stars record over the past ten years is pretty solid:
2008: MLS 3-2 West Ham
2009: MLS 1-1 Everton (Everton 4-3 on pens)
2010: Man United 5-2 MLS
2011: Man United 4-0 MLS
2012: MLS 3-2 Chelsea
2013: AS Roma 3-1 MLS
2014: MLS 2-1 Bayern Munich
2015: MLS 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
2016: Arsenal 2-1 MLS
2017: MLS 1-1 Real Madrid (Real Madrid 4-2 on pens)
We went pitch side in Chicago last year as Real Madrid edged past the MLS All-Star team on penalties.
