Europe’s top soccer clubs, stars take over US

For American soccer fans more interested in European stars and teams than the domestic product offered by Major League Soccer, familiarity hasn’t bred contempt, but it has led to frustration.

This summer will be no different to any other recent one in that many of Europe’s biggest clubs will head to the United States to participate in exhibition games, or “friendlies,” against each other.

Over the next few weeks Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Manchester United and several others will square off in the International Champions Cup, which is less a tournament and more a convenient way to market a group of preseason matches.

The problem is that these games often feature lineups packed with back-up players and are sometimes played with limited intensity, to the annoyance of supporters clamoring for the real thing.

However, one of international soccer’s most promising young superstars had a reassuring word for American fans as the glut of exhibitions, which started with Italy’s AC Roma against France’s Paris St. Germain in Detroit on Wednesday, approached.

“We know we are going out there to play in front of fans who don’t normally get the chance to see us in London,” said Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli. “That’s important. We take the responsibility seriously to go out and put on a good performance and for us we want to build good habits and win as many games as possible.”

Among the highlights of the International Champions Cup will be a meeting of the two Manchester clubs, United and City, in Houston on Thursday, plus Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona in Miami on July 29.

Tottenham’s first encounter will be with French power PSG, which is reportedly attempting to sign Brazilian icon Neymar from FC Barcelona.

Alli believes that a strong showing in the US will add impetus for the start of the club’s bid to clinch the EPL title.

“Over the last couple of season we haven’t made a perfect start and drawn some games we should have won,” Alli said. "We want to put that right."