Ronaldinho expected to headline exhibition against AC Milan
D.C. United will add another elite-tier European club to the list of opponents they have faced in their 15-year history with Italian giants AC Milan set to visit RFK Stadium on May 26.
Nicknamed the “Rossoneri” in reference to their famous vertical red-and-black striped uniforms, Milan has won 17 championships in Serie A, Italy’s highest division, and another seven European Champions League titles, the most recent in 2007.
One of the wealthiest clubs in the world, Milan has long been home to some of the most famous players. But with the exhibition against D.C. coming 10 days after the end of the Serie A season in Italy and two weeks before the 2010 World Cup begins, the Italian club will be without some of its superstars, such as Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso, Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and U.S. national team defender Oguchi Onyewu, who signed a three-year deal with the club last summer.
“AC Milan is committed to fielding all of its star players at RFK Stadium not obligated to World Cup duties,” said D.C. United in a written statement.
With Brazilian legend Ronaldinho, Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf, veteran Italians Filippo Inzaghi and Massimo Ambrosini, and up-and-coming Brazilian Alexandre Pato in their visiting squad, Milan should still help RFK reach its 47,000 capacity. D.C. lost in a friendly, 3-0, to Real Madrid in front of 72,000 at FedEx Field last August.
