Here comes the (soccer) pitch at Miller Park Attacking styles

Miller Park is getting ready for a different kind of pitch on Wednesday.

For the third time in its history, the Milwaukee Brewers’ ballpark will host a soccer match, this one a friendly between C.F. Pachuca and Club Leon. Both teams play in Liga MX, Mexico’s top league.

With the Brewers on a long road trip heading into the all-star break, there is plenty of time for the field to transform back into a baseball diamond for when the team returns for a home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 20.

Here are five things you need to know before Wednesday’s match:

Third time’s the charm

The first soccer match at Miller Park saw Chivas Guadalajara and Swansea City playing to a 1-1 draw in front of 31,237 fans in 2014. A year later, 21,256 people witnessed Atlas FC’s 2-1 victory over Newcastle.

But this is the first time two teams from the same league have met at Miller Park.

The teams split their last two Liga MX matches, with Leon earning a 3-1 home victory on Sept. 16 and Pachuca winning at home, 2-1, on Feb. 24.

“Apart from the first four of five European leagues – and I have had the privilege of coaching in many leagues – (Liga MX) probably is the next one,” Pachuca manager Pako Ayestaran said.

“I would put the Mexican league in the fifth or sixth position in the world.”

Here comes the pitch

Head groundskeeper Michael Boettcher was around for the previous two matches, so getting the field soccer-ready is old hat for him.

“We’ve done it twice before, so that helps,” Brewers chief operating officer Rick Schlesinger said.

Timing is everything

Miller Park’s first soccer match came on the heels on the 2014 World Cup and Wednesday’s game will begin a few hours after the ending of the Croatia-England semifinal.

The timing is not insignificant. “This is an opportune time for us to be hosting soccer,” Schlesinger said. “The World Cup is at a fever pitch and also with us just completing ‘Cerveceros Day’ at Miller Park.

“This is something great for all our fans, but in particular to our Hispanic community, bringing these two teams from Mexico with a lot of following here in Wisconsin.”

Both teams play an attacking style of soccer that should make for an entertaining match.

“Just being aggressive and collective when they’re addressing their opposing team,” Leon manager Gustavo Diaz said through a translator when asked how his team played.

Anything but 'friendly'

“Friendly” matches are often misnomers, especially when the two sides know each other as well these two rivals.

“It’s soccer, so there’s always going to be a level of competition,” Pachuca forward Franco Jara said through a translator. “Whether it’s a friendly or an official game, we always want to win each match.”