CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, July 14, 2011) – Reigning FA Cup champion Manchester City have formally announced their squad of players for the upcoming Herbalife World Football Challenge, which will feature a game against the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, July 24. Head coach Roberto Mancini, who helped City end their 35-year wait for a trophy by claiming the FA Cup last year, brings a star-studded squad to Southern California, where his team will train for much of the next 10 days ahead of the friendly with the Galaxy.
The game between the Galaxy and Manchester City will be played at The Home Depot Center on Sunday, July 24 at 1 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and online at ESPN3.com.
BUY TICKETS at lagalaxy.com/worldfootballchallenge
Headlining Mancini’s squad is midfielder David Silva. A World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, Silva was one of the breakout stars for Manchester City during the 2010/11 Premier League season, which was his first with the club. The 25-year-old made more than 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring six times while he was constantly at the heart of City’s attack. Silva, along with English wingers Adam Johnson, James Milner and Shaun Wright-Phillips, as well as forwards Mario Balotelli and Edin Džeko will be asked to carry the attacking burden for City
At the other end of the field, Manchester City have proved to be one of the most difficult teams in the Premier League to play against, thanks in large to the midfield trio of Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure. Barry is an England international who joined City in June 2009 from Aston Villa, where he was a teammate of Juan Pablo Angel. Capable of playing on the left or in central midfield, Barry represented England at the 2000 European Championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. His fellow midfielders De Jong and Toure each also played at the World Cup, with De Jong reaching the Final with Holland and Yaya Toure representing the Ivory Coast. That group is adept at not only breaking up opposition attacks, but starting the City attack as well.
Behind that group, new signings Gaël Clichy and Stefan Savić will help bolster a City defense that allowed 33 goals in 38 Premier League games last season. They will be counted upon to combine with fellow defenders such as Aleksandar Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards to continue their team’s fine defensive form in front of goalkeeper Joe Hart. England’s first choice goalkeeper, Hart started all 38 of City’s Premier League games last year as well as all eight games that they played en route to winning the FA Cup.
The game between the Galaxy and Manchester City will be the second and final game for each team in the Herbalife World Football Challenge, a competition that will see 14 games played throughout North America, featuring some of the world’s biggest and most popular clubs. In addition to Manchester City and the LA Galaxy, the World Football Challenge also includes international sides Barcelona, C.D. Guadalajara, Club America, Juventus, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Sporting Clube de Portugal and the Chicago Fire, New England Revolution and Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer. The Galaxy will also play their first game of the competition against Real Madrid at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, July 16. That game kicks off at 7 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, online on ESPN3.com and in 3D on ESPN3D.
Manchester City 2011 Herbalife World Football Challenge Roster
GOALKEEPERS (4) – Joe Hart, Eirik Johansen, Loris Karius, Stuart Taylor
DEFENDERS (10) – Jérôme Boateng, Dedryck Boyata, Gaël Clichy, Aleksandar Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Ryan McGivern, Micah Richards, Stefan Savić, Frederic Veseli
MIDFIELDERS (10) – Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong, Adam Johnson, Andrea Mancini, James Milner, David Silva, Denis Suarez, Yaya Touré, Vladimir Weiss, Shaun Wright-Phillips
FORWARDS (3) – Mario Balotelli, Edin Džeko, John Guidetti
HEAD COACH – Roberto Mancini
Tickets for this game are on sale now starting at just $30. For more information, or to purchase tickets, please contact the Galaxy by calling 1-877-3GALAXY (342-5299) or by visiting www.lagalaxy.com/worldfootballchallenge.
