Despite weakened teams, local fans eager to Manchester City-Borussia Dortmund

The Champions League match on Friday night at Soldier Field between English Premier League champion Manchester City and German Borussia Dortmund does not mean much. Besides the American star of Dortmund, Christian Pulisic, many of the biggest names of the teams will be in the honor because of the World Cup.

But for Chicago club supporters, the Friday show will still offer a rare favorite team chance in their hometown. For Manchester City fans, this will be the first opportunity to see their team in Chicago since the purchase by the Abu Dhabi United Group in August 2008 which immediately turned the club into one of the richest and most more powerful on the planet.

We are City fans, and having City in Chicago is very exciting. It's very exciting, "said Johnny Hernandez, a Manchester City fan." Normally we have to go to Miami or New York and I know we had to go to Houston a few years ago. They come to Chicago (and) I'm pretty happy with that. "

Hernandez does not seem bothered that the film crew is not stacked with the best City players, those who made Manchester City's 2017-18 team the first to reap 100 points in a Premier League season while scoring a record EPL 106 goals during the schedule of 38 games.

Instead, he is more than grateful that City will be in his city, and he is eager to see the first team players who will dress up and check out some of the youngest members of the team.

"We are not just following a player," said Hernandez, who is a member of the group Chicago MCFC supporters "Obviously, we are fans of the club and we want everyone to get along well."

American football fans, no matter what their allegiance to the club, want to see Pulisic do well. At just 19, the Hershey, Pennsylvania striker is

Of course, he will also help Dortmund strengthen his presence.

"You have one of the brightest young talents in the history of American football," said Troy Dolle, a fan of Dortmund, who lives in Chicago, "and he plays for Borussia Dortmund. "

Red Stars midfielders Julie Ertz and Morgan Brian, as well as goaltender Alyssa Naeher and defenseman Casey Short among the 25 players of the US Women's National Team before the 2018 Nations Tournament The lineup will be reduced to 23 before the opening of the July 26 tournament against Japan.