Manchester United will take on Real Madrid at the Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, in one of the most hyped, talked about and keenly awaited clashes of the pre-seasons.
This fixture, which is being dubbed as the "clash of the titans", will prove to be very important as both Louis van Gaal and Carlo Ancelotti look to assert their dominance ahead of the 2014/15 campaign.
Overview:
Manchester United seem to have finally returned to their winning ways under new boss Louis van Gaal, emerging victorious in all their three pre-seasons fixtures so far.
But the Red Devils' victories seem to be getting less convincing with each passing game of the pre-seasons. While they registered a thumping 7-0 win over LA Galaxy in their first game, they just managed to edge Roma 3-2 in their second. United were even far less convincing in their third game against Inter Milan, which they won on 5-3 penalties.
Still, van Gaal, who has been handed the difficult task of turning things around at Old Trafford following the mess left behind by his predecessor David Moyes, feels that the Red Devils are moving in the right direction.
"I'm very pleased, it's the third match and we make big steps. I'm very pleased. Of course, it gives confidence to the players and that's the most important thing," the Dutchman told Manchester United's official website.
However, van Gaal's managerial skills will be thoroughly tested when the Red Devils take on Champions League winners Real Madrid on Sunday.
Despite knowing that United will have a very difficult game against Real Madrid, the former Barcelona boss insists that he will be going for the kill.
"I'm anxious to win. I always want to win and Man United is a club that always wants to win. I can't say much about the progress of the squad as we have only had training sessions here," said van Gaal.
Meanwhile, despite their reputation and Champions League triumph last season, Real Madrid have not been doing well in the pre-seasons.
The Los Blancos, who lifted the International Champions Cup last season, have this time been knocked out of the pre-season competition following back-to-back defeats against Inter Milan (3-2 penalties) and Roma (1-0).
However, midfielder Xavi Alonso insists that his side are not concerned about the outcome of the pre-season games.
"We know the game coming against Manchester United is going to be a big one because they are doing pretty well but at this period of the season it's not important about results," Alonso told Skysports.com.
"It's about getting fit, having good sessions. We are not really concerned with results."
However, now as Real Madrid have already been eliminated from the pre-season competition, they will be looking to restore some pride by getting a win in their final International Champions Cup fixture.
"It's never a friendly against Manchester United. It is a fantastic team in a fantastic stadium but it is the last game of our tour and we want to finish well. We need to play a good game tomorrow because we play a fantastic team," said Ancelotti, according to the Guardian.
Where to Watch Live:
The match between Manchester United and Real Madrid is set to kick-off on 2 August at 4:00 PM EDT (9:00 pm BST and 1:30 am IST), with live coverage on MUTV worldwide and ESPN Deportes in the US. The preseason game can be watched via live streaming online by international viewers HERE or HERE. US viewers can catch the live action Here and HERE.
