Finding a replacement for Serie A champions Juventus in this summer's 2012 Herbalife World Football Challenge turned out to be as simple as going right next door.
Mexican giants Santos Laguna have been tapped to do the honors, facing La Liga champs Real Madrid on August 5 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
Juventus were forced to withdraw from the tournament when the Italian SuperCopa, which is to be played in Beijing, was moved up from August 19 to August 11.
Getting the Mexican champs as a replacement, then, was a no-brainer. While the big draw will no doubt be Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, the contest represents a homecoming for Santos star attacker Herculez Gomez, who grew up in Vegas.
"It will be good to come home and play in front of family and friends," Gomez said Friday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "It's going to be a fun game. Anytime you get a chance to play against a team like Real, it's a great opportunity to show how you measure up."
Tickets are available at UNLVtickets.com or by calling toll free 855.2LV.KICK/ 855.258.5425 (out of state) or 702.739.3267 (local). Fans who already purchased tickets to the Las Vegas match can use the existing ticket for the new matchup or receive a ticket refund until June 26 by returning to the location where the ticket was purchased.
