Juventus facing MLS All-Stars on Aug. 1 in Atlanta

March 22 (UPI) -- The 2018 MLS All-Stars will battle Juventus in August in Atlanta.

Major League Soccer and the Serie A squad announced the MLS All-Star Game matchup on Thursday. The game will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

"We welcome Juventus -- one of the world's iconic clubs -- as our opponent for the 2018 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a news release.

"Our midseason showcase annually attracts the most prominent clubs in global soccer, and this year our All-Stars will face one of the sport's most historically successful teams. And we can't think of a better city to host the game than in Atlanta, which due to the incredible success and popularity of Atlanta United, has rapidly captured the attention of the entire soccer world."

The MLS All-Stars have had previous matchups against clubs from La Liga, the German Bundesliga, the English Premier League, Mexico's Liga MX and the Scottish Premier League. Last season, the MLS All-Stars tied Real Madrid 1-1 on Aug. 2 at Solider Field in Chicago. Real Madrid won 4-2 on penalties.

"We are happy to represent European football in this year's MLS All-Star Game," Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said in a news release.

"It's an opportunity to get closer to the passionate American soccer fans. For many years, Juventus has considered the United States and Canada as a crucial market for growing our presence as shown by the opening of our new academies and our digital strategy that has greatly expanded the possibility to connect with fans on this continent. The first team and the game, however, will be the main show that Juventus offers and we are proud to be in Atlanta." 

Juventus battles Real Madrid in the quarter final round of the 2018 UEFA Champions League on April 3 in Turin, Italy. The MLS All-Stars' last win came in 2015 against Tottenham Hotspur in Commerce City, Colo.