Are you already having World Cup withdrawals? Good news arrives on Friday as Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund will be headlining the 2018 International Champions Cup on Friday. The German power-house is a slight Mybookie Sportsbook favorite against the English Premier League reigning champs.
Meanwhile, former German star Mario Gotze is facing a crucial year after the midfielder was left out of Germany’s World Cup squad. Gotze, 26, has had a difficult time since scoring the 1-0 winner in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina. He returned to Dortmund in 2016 after three largely unimpressive years with Bayern Munich, and after scoring just three goals with four assists in 34 Bundesliga games, he has failed to recreate the magic which once made him a promising talent.
Borussia Dortmund and Man City last played in July 2016 also in the International Champions Cup and Man City won on PKs.
Argentina striker Sergio Aguero came on as a half-time substitute to put City ahead in the 78th minute before young American star Christian Pulisic scored with virtually the last kick of the game to send the match to penalties. Academy keeper Angus Gunn then became the hero — saving three spot-kicks as City won 6-5 on penalties.
Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund 2018 ICC Odds & Expert Pick
Our US Tour travelling squad in full! ⚽️🇺🇸 #mancity pic.twitter.com/DjXX9hKHfl
— Manchester City (@ManCity) 17 de julio de 2018
- When: Friday, 9 PM ET
- Where: Soldier Field, Chicago
- TV: ESPN
- 2018 ICC Odds: Borussia Dortmund +148 / Manchester City +171 / Draw +273 (Total 3)
Why Bet on Man City?
Man City had a record-setting campaign in winning the Premier League last season but they are hardly resting on their laurels. The Citizens have made one of the big transfer signings of the offseason in Leicester City midfielder Riyad Mahrez. The 28-year-old surpasses Aymeric LaPorte as the club’s most expensive signing in a £60 million move after inking a five-year contract through 2023. Mahrez recorded 12 goals and 13 assists last season after a down year following Leicester’s title-winning 2015-16 season, where the Algerian won Premier League Player of the Year honors. “I am so pleased to have joined City, a side playing great football under Pep Guardiola. Watching them from afar has been a pleasure. Pep is committed to playing attacking football, which is perfect for me, and City’s performances last season were outstanding. They’re redefining the English game and I wanted to be a part of it,” Mahrez said. Mahrez, Joe Hart, and France World Cup winner Benjamin Mendy have been included in the club’s squad for the summer tour to the United States. Pep Guardiola’s squad are scheduled to play Borussia Dortmund in Chicago, Liverpool in New York and Bayern Munich in Miami during the ICC. However, some World Cup players from City aren’t on the trip: The English quartet of John Stones, Kyle Walker, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling are among those enjoying a break after their World Cup exploits. With seven of City’s squad making it as far as the World Cup semifinals, Guardiola faces going into the opening game of the season at Arsenal on Aug. 12 with key players short of match fitness. Hart, the former England goalkeeper, has spent the last two seasons on loan — first with Torino, then West Ham United — and has not featured in a game for City since August 2016. The 31-year-old, who was left out of the World Cup squad, wants a permanent move away from City. Oleksander Zinchenko is also part of the touring squad despite strong interest from newly promoted clubs Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham. Young City player Phil Foden will have an opportunity to stake a claim for a place in the EPL opener Gunners after being omitted from England’s under-19s squad for the European Championship to join up with the tour to the USA.Why Bet on Borussia Dortmund?
The German club has made a few transfer moves but nothing too major. Andriy Yarmolenko left Borussia Dortmund after one season to sign a four-year contract with West Ham United. He scored six goals in 26 appearances last season for Dortmund, who signed him in a €25m move last summer after losing Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona. In addition, defender Erik Durm has left Borussia Dortmund to join Huddersfield Town in the Premier League. Durm, 26, signed a one-year contract to play under Huddersfield boss David Wagner, his former coach in Dortmund’s reserves. Durm did not play at all last season beyond a pair of midseason friendlies while dealing with a number of injuries. Borussia Dortmund has added Real Madrid’s Achraf Hakimi on a two-year loan deal. Hakami, 19, featured for Morocco in all three of their matches at the World Cup and becomes the Bundesliga club’s sixth signing of the summer. The defender, who made 11 appearances for Madrid last season, is set to challenge Lukasz Piszczek, 33, for a place at right-back but could also become an option at left-back. Dortmund has also added goalkeepers Marvin Hitz and Eric Oelschlagel to their squad, along with midfielders Thomas Delaney and Marius Wolf and defender Abdou Diallo.
Meanwhile, former German star Mario Gotze is facing a crucial year after the midfielder was left out of Germany’s World Cup squad. Gotze, 26, has had a difficult time since scoring the 1-0 winner in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina. He returned to Dortmund in 2016 after three largely unimpressive years with Bayern Munich, and after scoring just three goals with four assists in 34 Bundesliga games, he has failed to recreate the magic which once made him a promising talent.
Borussia Dortmund and Man City last played in July 2016 also in the International Champions Cup and Man City won on PKs.
Argentina striker Sergio Aguero came on as a half-time substitute to put City ahead in the 78th minute before young American star Christian Pulisic scored with virtually the last kick of the game to send the match to penalties. Academy keeper Angus Gunn then became the hero — saving three spot-kicks as City won 6-5 on penalties.
