Sydney FC’s Bernie Ibini has been selected by Foxtel All Stars Head Coach Josep Gombau as one of his wild card picks for the game against Juventus at ANZ Stadium on Sunday August 10 (kick off 7:30pm).
Sydney FC-s Bernie Ibini has been selected by Foxtel All Stars Head Coach Josep Gombau as one of his wild card picks for the game against Juventus at ANZ Stadium on Sunday August 10 (kick off 7:30pm).
On top of the players selected in the squad from fans- votes, Gombau is given the chance to choose four and has brought Ibini in to further complement his array of attacking options.
Ibini-s inclusion in the squad brings Sydney FC-s representatives in the Foxtel All Stars to four, the highest number of all the Hyundai A-League clubs so far, after Alessandro Del Piero, Sasa Ognenovski and Ali Abbas- were already confirmed as squad members.
Ibini joined the Sky Blues in the off season following six goals from 16 appearances in 2013/14 for the Mariners, and now has the chance to stake his claims for a spot in the Foxtel A-League All Stars line up to face the reigning Serie A champions.
“It-s definitely very exciting and something I-m looking forward to because you don-t get the opportunity to play against world class players like that all of the time,” Ibini said.
“To be part of the All Stars is a great achievement for myself and I-m looking forward to it. To have other boys from the Sydney FC team is definitely going to make it a lot easier to get into camp and work together.”
As well as the prospect of coming up against the likes of World Cup stars Andrea Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon and French midfielder Paul Pogba, who was crowned best young player at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, 21 year old Ibini also expressed his excitement at being in the same team as Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero, who will captain the Foxtel A-League All Stars against his former club.
“It-s going to be very special to train and play with Alessandro Del Piero. He-s among the top players to have ever played the game,” Ibini said.
The announcement of Ibini-s inclusion follows last Friday-s news that Gombau has also selected Wellington Phoenix midfielder Albert Riera as one of his wild card picks.
Ibini and Riera-s additions take the number of players in the squad to 16, leaving four spots remaining, which will include another goalkeeper and three more outfield players.
The Foxtel A-League All Stars will meet Juventus at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on 10 August with the match to be broadcast live and exclusive on the Seven Network nationally.
Foxtel A-League All Stars squad (as at 15 July 2014)
Alessandro Del Piero
Marcelo Carrusca (Adelaide United)
Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United)
Thomas Broich (Brisbane Roar)
Matt Smith (Brisbane Roar)
Josh Rose (Central Coast Mariners)
Storm Roux (Central Coast Mariners)
David Williams (Melbourne City)
Besart Berisha (Melbourne Victory)
Gui Finkler (Melbourne Victory)
Ali Abbas (Sydney FC)
Bernie Ibini (Sydney FC)
Sasa Ognenovski (Sydney FC)
Albert Riera (Wellington Phoenix)
Tomi Juric (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney Wanderers)
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