International Champions Cup (ICC) football heads to Cardiff on Saturday 3 August when Manchester United face AC Milan at the Principality Stadium.
It’s the third and final ICC fixture for the two European giants as they prepare for the new Premier League and Serie A seasons.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that he will pick a full-strength team for the clash in Cardiff. Welsh international Daniel James, the club’s new summer signing, could make an appearance in front of his country’s fans.
In an interview with the ICC, Solskjaer said: “We’re getting close to the league then and playing against AC Milan in Cardiff is a great chance for us to put the full team out to test ourselves just before the league starts.
“We’re going to have to play our top team because we want to get into the league knowing each other and having some relationships built, so it will probably look like who will start in the first league game, maybe one or two changes.”
Great history and great prestige
Speaking recently in the Welsh capital, former Manchester United and England striker Andrew Cole described the Principality Stadium as a “special ground”.
“I was fortunate enough to get a winner here at this great stadium for Blackburn back in 2002,” said Cole. “It’s a great opportunity for the people of Wales to watch Manchester United and AC Milan during the pre season period.
“It’s a special stadium, especially when it’s a full house here, I understand why the Welsh boys love playing here. The fans can expect a good football match between two clubs with great history and great prestige. There is no such thing as a friendly so I think it will be a great match.”
For Italian giants Milan it’s their first time playing in Cardiff and club legend Franco Baresi is expecting an exciting match.
He said: “I’m very happy that AC Milan will play in Cardiff for the first time, there is a real passion for football here. We’re looking forward to playing a team of the calibre of Manchester United in what promises to be a great match up.
“Unfortunately in Italy, stadiums are not as nice as this one. There aren’t many that compare to the Principality Stadium and so it will be a great pleasure to play in this stadium, especially in-front of a capacity crowd of almost 74,000.”
Man Utd vs. AC Milan tickets and match details
Tickets are on general sale via Ticketmaster. Due to unprecedented demand, organisers have now released a further batch of upper tier tickets – £25 for adults and £10 for under-16s. See Ticketmaster.co.uk for more information.
Manchester United vs. AC Milan
– What: International Champions Cup
– When: Saturday 3 August
– Where: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
– Kick-off: 5.30pm BST
Image: principalitystadium.wales