MLS All-Star Game Preview: Atlanta plays host as Juventus come to town

Here's everything you need to know ahead of Wednesday's MLS All-Star Game, which will pit the best players in North America's top flight against Italian giants Juventus.

How to watch

• Date: Wednesday, August 1
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• TV: ESPN, UniMas (USA), TSN 1, 3, 4, and 5 (Canada)

What to watch

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo won't partake in the festivities - the former pulled out of the match earlier this week, while the latter is in Turin undergoing preseason training after returning from his holiday - but there will still be plenty of attacking talent on display at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Atlanta United bench boss Tata Martino has an abundance of riches at his disposal, with the likes of Josef Martinez, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Carlos Vela, and Sebastian Giovinco in the squad. The pint-sized Italian, who'll be going up against plenty of familiar faces, surely hopes to get on the scoresheet against his former side.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

With Atlanta playmaker Miguel Almiron and Bayern Munich-bound phenom Alphonso Davies also in the mix, the All-Star team has the necessary firepower to test a Juventus side still working out the preseason kinks.

Related: Getting to know Bayern Munich newcomer Alphonso Davies

A host of Bianconeri stars remained in Italy after receiving extended vacations thanks to their World Cup exertions - Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, and Douglas Costa chief among them - but the match affords manager Massimiliano Allegri the opportunity to roll out some promising young talent.

Twenty-one-year-olds Andrea Favilli and Luca Clemenza have shone for Juve in their preseason matches this summer, scoring three goals between them.

By the numbers

2 - Juventus are the second Serie A side to take part in Major League Soccer's midseason affair; Roma came away with a 3-1 victory in 2013, when current Bianconeri midfielder Miralem Pjanic was a member of the club.

14 - This is the 14th consecutive year in which MLS has staged such an event, having moved to the current All-Star Game format in 2005. The league played around with various matchup styles in the preceding years - the most common being the classic East versus West encounter - but there's been no turning back since Premier League side Fulham made the trip to Columbus for the midseason game in 2005. The All-Star team has emerged victorious seven times thus far, dropping six matches in the process (including two defeats on penalties).

2015 - The All-Star team's most recent victory came in 2015, when Kaka stole the show, scoring once and setting up another in a 2-1 win over Tottenham.

70,728 - The match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium could set a new record for All-Star Game attendance; the previous best was set in 2010, when 70,728 fans packed into Houston's Reliant Stadium to watch Manchester United take on the best MLS had to offer.

What they're saying

Ahead of Wednesday's contest, both sides met the media, giving their respective thoughts on the match during a press conference Monday.

(Photo courtesy: Juventus FC)

Max Allegri: "We are very happy and proud to be here. We are disappointed not to have our national team players but they played in the World Cup and needed the vacation. Fortunately, we have the advantage of having basically a full defense and midfield."

Giorgio Chiellini: "Wednesday's match will be different from the others. It's an important moment for us as we have just a few games left to prepare for the start of the season. It will be a great game but also a party that we are curious and happy to experience a wonderful evening together."

Sebastian Giovinco: "I can't wait to play on Wednesday against my boyhood club. Seeing old friends is always nice. Juventus has changed a lot since my time and has suffered in the past few years but now is back to winning ways. I think the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo will be good for the Bianconeri and the entire league."

Tata Martino: "It's a game that is about entertainment and it's nice for MLS that Juventus is here. It's an important event for Atlanta and the whole state of Georgia."