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Milan and Roma have promised that fans will not go home disappointed An all-Italian Friday night blockbuster at Optus Stadium, promising star power and fostering a vibrant atmosphere.
The two giants arrived in Perth just days after the end of the Serie A season and more than 50,000 fans are expected to attend the friendly.
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Despite the short period of time between the end of the Italian season and the Perth friendly, both sides named big names for the game.
Chief among them are two World Cup winners: AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud and Roma star Paulo Dybala, who scored a spot-kick in Argentina’s victory in the 2022 World Cup final.
Roma defender Chris Smalling is no stranger to Perth having visited the city with Manchester United in 2019 and said he expects a high-quality game and welcomes Dybala’s talent.
“Its name is synonymous around the world because of its quality,” he said.
“As someone in his team, you just want to give him the ball as early as possible because there are very few players in the world who have that magic. We are very lucky to have such a player.”
The game will be Giroud’s last game for the club before he plays for FC Los Angeles in Major League Soccer, and AC Milan captain Davide Calabria said they hope to send him off on the right foot.
“He is an important leader on and off the field, especially off the field. The supporters love him very much, he will miss him very much and we are happy to have these few days together to celebrate his departure,” he said through a translator.
AC Milan interim coach Daniele Bonera said through a translator that he was looking forward to the club’s legions of fans painting Optus Stadium red and black on Friday.
“I am very pleased to be here because of the strong Italian population and I hope I can honor the invitation with a good game on Friday night,” he said.
Tourism Minister Rita Saffiotti urged fans to replicate the vibrant atmosphere Italian fans are known for.
“I had the opportunity to be at San Siro (home of AC and Inter Milan) and the noise from the crowd is incredible. We want to have a very loud stadium on Friday night, a lot of activity,” she said.
Both sides will wear a strip on their shirt dedicated to former player Agostino Di Bartolomei, who played for both clubs, to mark the 30th anniversary of his death, and Roma coach Daniele de Rossi paid tribute to his legacy.
“What it left is more than just a piece of plastic on the shirt; he set an example, a true reminder of what a novelist should be, so it’s important for us to continue to remember him every year,” he said.
How to watch it live and free on Seven screens
Friday night’s blockbuster game between AC Milan and Roma will be live and free on Seven screens.
All fans will be able to watch the match 7plus from 9pm AEST and 7pm AWST.
Viewers in Perth will be able to watch the match on Channel 7.
The match will be on 7TWO for audiences in Sydney and Brisbane.
In Melbourne and Adelaide the match will be on 7mate.
The two clubs have announced that they will be playing with a special patch dedicated to former player Agostino Di Bartolomei, who played for both clubs, to mark the 30th anniversary of his death.
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