Chelsea to play at Yankee Stadium

Wednesday, 9 May 2012 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

LONDON (AFP): Chelsea are to play in the first football match at New York’s new Yankee Stadium when they face French club Paris Saint-Germain there as part of a pre-season tour of the United States.

The London club will face PSG at the home of the New York Yankees baseball team on Sunday, July 22 in a stadium set to hold 54,000 spectators when set up for football.

Yankee Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City

Chelsea have not played in New York since 1954 and they and PSG will contest the first football match at the new Yankee Stadium since it opened in 2009.

The match will reunite the Blues with former manager Carlo Ancelotti, now at PSG and who was controversially sacked by Chelsea at the end of last season, as well as his assistant Claude Makelele, coach Paul Clement, and defender Alex.

It will be the second game of Chelsea’s US tour, with the club also announcing on Monday that their final fixture will be against AC Milan at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on Saturday, July 28.

Chelsea had already confirmed matches against Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on July 18 and and MLS All Stars at PPL Park, Philadelphia, on July 25.

Blues chief executive Ron Gourlay told the club’s official website on Monday: “Chelsea Football Club is delighted to be heading to New York after such a long time away, and it will be a real pleasure to visit Yankee Stadium for what is sure to be a competitive game.

“Paris Saint-Germain represents a true test for us in our preparations for the new season. We know Carlo well and respect the superb job he did for us, and continues to do in France. It should be a fantastic game.”Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 to win the FA Cup at Wembley on Saturday and they will bid for a first Champions League title when they play Bayern Munich at the German club’s Allianz Arena ground on May 19.