BACK TO THE STATES
After last year’s successful summer tour to the United States, the Bianconeri are back this year to face Bayern Munich, Benfica the MLS All-Stars and Real Madrid. Kicking things off with a match against FC Bayern at the Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia.
PREVIOUS BAYERN ENCOUNTERS
It will be the 14th time that Juventus play Bayern in all competitions, with their first-ever meeting actually coming in friendly action in 1992, in a farewell match for Klaus Augenthaler. The Old Lady were victorious winning 1-4 in Munich, courtesy of a hat-trick from Andreas Moeller and a Paolo Di Canio goal.
The last match between the two was a much more intense affair in the UEFA Champions League Last 16 in 2016. Having drawn 2-2 in the first leg in Turin, the two sides locked horns in the Allianz Arena for the second leg three weeks later, and it was Juve who raced into a 0-2 half-time lead thanks to goals from Paul Pogba and Juan Cuadrado. However, it wasn’t to be the Bianconeri’s night as two late goals levelled the scores to send the tie to extra-time where the Bavarians scored twice more to triumph 4-2.
EYE ON THE OPPOSITION
Juve’s opposition, Bayern find themselves with a new manager in the dugout for this upcoming campaign, as Niko Kovac takes over from Jupp Heynckes, after having led Eintracht Frankfurt to an eighth place Bundesliga finish and a German Cup title. In the transfer market, Bayern have made just one summer signing so far, the arrival of Leon Goretzka on a free transfer from Schalke.
STADIUM STATS & FACTS
Vs: Bayern Munich (Wednesday 25 July, 19:00 EDT local; Thursday 26 July, 01:00 CEST)
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Capacity: 69,176
Home team(s): Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), (Temple Owls (AAC)
About: Opened in 2003, Lincoln Memorial Field is perhaps most famously home to last season’s Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, who won their first-ever title against the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LII.
The first event to be hosted at ‘The Linc’ was a friendly soccer match between Manchester United and Barcelona on 3 August 2003. MLS team Philadelphia Union played some matches during the regular season in 2010, whilst they waited for construction on their current ground to be completed, and still occasionally play fixtures here against high-profile opposition in friendlies.