During Major League Soccer’s stint of playing summer exhibitions featuring the league’s All-Stars vs. a traveling international powerhouse, not once has one of the latter demanded a rematch. But that seems to be what’s happened after last night’s 2-1 dispatch of Bayern Munich, with the latter’s Pep Guardiola blowing off Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter’s attempts to make nice at the final whistle (above). From Soccer By Ives’ Franco Panizo :
“I hope they invite us next year so we can try and to make the revenge,” said Guardiola, who allegedly shook hands with Porter in the locker room. “I will prepare a little bit better and we will be sure of what is going on and we will prepare much better. We will do it. I hope our invitation is coming.”
“I thought the tackles that happened were unfortunate and wasn’t like I was happy about them, but there’s things that happen in a soccer game,” said Porter. “There was no ill intent. I understand the frustration completely because they’re in preseason. I’ve been in games in preseason with my teams and you do get sometimes wound up with things like that happen.
“…I understand completely why there was some emotion there, but we certainly didn’t mean to do anything negative in the game and we have the utmost respect for Bayern, their players, Pep – the guy is an idol of mine.”