Real Madrid to Melbourne?

[Evenflow]

Looks promising for next year as well as another two powerhouses. Personally i'd also love Barca to come as well but beggars can't be choosers and would take any of the other big clubs. You'd have to think City would be a big chance to be one of them given their takeover of Heart. On the news down here tonight it'll happen in July with 3 games over a one week duration.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...with-real-madrid/story-fni0fit3-1227022071618

MELBOURNE could play host to a who’s who of the world’s greatest soccer stars, with the Victorian Government in talks about luring a world game triple-header featuring Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The Napthine Government is in the box seat for a high-profile international tournament that could see Real Madrid superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale strut their stuff in Melbourne. The Victorian Major Events Company-backed proposal would see Real Madrid and two other teams play off in three matches at the MCG next July.

Two other foreign power clubs would also fly to Melbourne for the tournament, English Premier League giants Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal and Spanish stars Barcelona list the preferred options for the other two teams.

Victoria would host the International Champions Cup under the plan, to be announced by the Napthine Government imminently in an election-year sweetener to sports fans. It is believed Victoria has all but secured the tournament, subject to the availability of the MCG.

Organisers are already trying to find suitable dates in the middle of the 2015 AFL season when venues would be available. If Real Madrid and Barcelona were to feature in the draw - and full-strength squads competed - Victorians would be treated to a mouth-watering array of talent including a potential showdown between Ronaldo and Argentinian great Lionel Messi.

A Football Federation Australia source confirmed Victoria was close to finalising a deal for the tournament. “We’ve obviously been briefed because they need our sanctions,” the source said.

The ICC is the brainchild of US billionaire Steve Ross, with European clubs increasingly keen on competing in their competition off-season. Competing clubs must have won some form of title in the previous season to be eligible.

 

[saint.nick]

f**k yeah

 

[pennywisealfie]

Please bring Barca out.

 

[Twizzle]

f**k Melbourne, get them up here

 

[saint.nick]

Melbourne is so much better for sport though. The whole CBD would be packed with fans of respective teams for a week, awesome atmosphere. Melbourne was literally red last year. You can't say there was the same kind of vibe around Utd in Sydney. It's just too spread out.

 

[Big Sam]

True Nick, but ANZ >>>> MCG when it comes to rectangle sports.

I can see Barca coming so long as they don't play Madrid. I don't feel either club wants to cheapen the greatest rivalry in world sport.

 

[Big Sam]

I tell you what though, it'll be amazingly good if they get 300k fans to the games in the middle of the fumbleball season.

 

[ceagle]

f**king Melbourne......

 

[Lemon Squash]

Awesome news.

Early tip going round is that the other two teams will be Man City and Liverpool both of which would make perfect sense.

Considering City have bought Melbourne Heart you would assume they would want to capitalise asap and hype up the publicity around it. They could probably play an exhibition game against Melbourne City too while they were here or something similar.

Also Liverpool usually take turns touring the U.S one year then Asia the next and its Asia's (including Aus) turn next season. They know from 2013 that they can fill seats here so really couldn't see any negatives for them making the trip.

 

[pennywisealfie]

Bring it to Brisbane!

But people don't take it seriously, so I'll take either city, doesn't bother me.

 

[Evenflow]

f**k Melbourne, get them up here

:lol:

Yeah..nah. Not gonna happen for obvious reasons but you're always welcome down here for the week as long as you behave yourself.

 

[saint.nick]

As I found out last year, Melbourne just shits all over Sydney when it comes to sport. MCG may be far away from the action, but in Sydney, you just can't beat the pre-game buzz which leaks out of the pubs onto the street in the hours leading up to the game. You might get some of that around the SFS, but these games are never going to be held there.

Booking a trip to Melbourne is worth it IMO. I was also very lucky because I happened to stay in Liverpool's hotel. I was wondering why there was such a big fuss about me as the taxi pulled up outside the hotel with Liverpool fans standing behind barriers...