Italy's Biggest Rivals Coming to Foxboro

Gillette to Host Friendly Between Inter Milan and AC Milan

March 23, 2009

By Mark Goodman

Italian football’s most storied rivals are coming to New England.

Inter Milan and AC Milan will be playing a preseason friendly at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro Sunday, July 26.

Tickets are now on sale.

Gillette Stadium will host a friendly between Inter Milan and AC Milan this July.

Inter, coached by Jose Mourinho, is well on its way to its fourth straight scudetto. With 69 points, the nerazzuri are seven points clear of their closest Serie A challengers, Juventus, with nine matches to play. AC Milan are running a distant third in the league table with 55 points, but appear a safe bet to return to the UEFA Champions League after failing to qualify for this year’s competition.

Both teams boast several big stars. Inter are led by Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose 19 goals tie him for the league lead with Bologna’s Marco Di Vaio, and also feature Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, French midfielder Patrick Vieira, Serbian midfielder Dejan Stankovic, Italian center back Marco Materazzi and Brazilian right back Maicon.

Former World Player of the Year Luis Figo is also currently on the squad, but many expect the 36-year old Portuguese winger to retire at the end of the season.

AC Milan have two former World Players of the Year in its ranks in Brazilians Kaka and Ronaldinho, and one of the best young strikers in the world, 19-year old Brazilian Pato (14 goals in Serie A). Italian striker Filippo Inzaghi, Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo and Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf are among the other international stars on Milan’s roster.

David Beckham, currently on loan with the rossoneri, is scheduled to be back with the LA Galaxy by then.

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