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Supposedly he'll be back in mid-July 2010, after the World Cup concludes.

Beckham found time to take in the Lakers game Sunday after playing in one of his final appearances at the HDC before heading to Italy. Son, Brooklyn, looked unimpressed though. (AP Photo)

He'll join Milan Dec. 28 after the Galaxy's post-season tour and remain with the Italian club through the end of their season in May.

"After the wonderful experience of last season we are very happy to see David Beckham again wearing the red and black colors," said Adriano Galliani, Vice President and CEO of AC Milan. "We are confident his loan spell will not only improve Milan, it will help the player to take part in the World Cup in South Africa and continue to enhance his career in North America with the LA Galaxy. We would like to thank the Galaxy and MLS for their co-operation and understanding."

Here's Becks:

"I need to give myself the best chance possible to make the World Cup squad and playing for Milan on loan will help me to do that," Beckham said. "I genuinely enjoyed my time at Milan and I look forward to meeting the players and staff again. I'm thankful to Tim Leiweke and Bruce Arena for allowing me this opportunity. I'm committed to LA Galaxy and MLS in the long term and remain as passionate as ever about growing the game of soccer in America . I'm completely focused on ending this season on a high note with my club by winning the MLS Cup."

So another season of Beckham-era ticket prices then, but the team will be without Beckham for all but 11 games or so (which is what he managed this season).

The U.S. Women's National Team plays Germany Oct. 29 in Augsburg, one of the venues for the 2011 Women's World Cup. A top-class match-up between nations that haven't met in nine years - and naturally there's no TV coverage in the U.S.

Ah well, that's not the case for many games this weekend. As always, click the link to the right for full details, but here's the games I'll be paying attention to this weekend:

Saturday
*6:55 a.m. ESPN2HD Wigan Athletic-Manchester United (this is pretty much a derby for those who don't know their English geography. Can Wigan pull a Burnley?)

*7 a.m. Fox Soccer Channel Manchester City-Wolverhampton Wanderers (a match-up between the EPL's newest moneybags and the newly promoted)

*11:30 a.m. FSC AC Milan-Siena (Serie A opener)

*1 p.m. Prime WPS final between the Sol and FC Sky Blue (Tickets start at $20 for this game at the HDC for those who prefer to be there live)

*2 p.m. FSC Hull City-Bolton Wanderers (Will Jozy Altidore play in his first game for Hull?)

*4:30 p.m. FSC D.C. United-Galaxy (David Beckham and Eddie Lewis return from one-game suspensions)

*7:30 p.m. Prime Chivas USA-Toronto (The flailing Goats' first game in a month at home and with every adult ticket purchased starting at $15 a kid - um, child that is - gets in free)

Sunday
*8 a.m. FSC Fulham-Chelsea (with Clint Dempsey, who signed a new deal with Fulham this week, presumably leading the charge)

BTW, the college season is getting under way and locally the No. 17 boy Bruins get things started against Bakersfield at 3 p.m. Saturday at North Athletic Field. Admission is free. (The No. 3-ranked women visit top-ranked North Carolina Saturday, BTW).

In Long Beach, it's the 49ers against Fresno State at 3 p.m. Sunday at George Allen Field.

(At this point I plan to blog from both games at the HDC Saturday, so check in for the latest as the weekend progresses).

AP PhotosThe celebs (Ashton Kutcher, Charlize Theron, Will Ferrell, et al) were out.

So was a loud and appreciative crowd of more than 80,000 that braved rush hour traffic and suffocating heat in Pasadena.

All to see a meaningless friendly between Jose Mourinho's old club - Chelsea - and his current team, Inter Milan, at the Rose Bowl.

Read the game story here.

I was impressed: clearly there are soccer fans in L.A. with more fortitude than myself.

After working all day, I couldn't face a 90 minute commute in the withering heat from the South Bay to Pasadena (especially with a Dodger game scheduled) so chose to stay home and snuggle up with a cold one in front of my hi def TV. (And yeah, I know I'm a spoiled wimp of a journalist considering I get to sit in an air-conditioned press box).

Still, it was a fun spectacle from my vantage point - or at least the first half was - despite the less than illuminating color commentary of John "not so brilliant" Harkes and his lingering fake English accent. (How the hell that guy - also responsible for perhaps the most poorly written soccer-related biography of all time keeps his job is beyond me. My biggest pet peeve? When he insists on saying "offsides" when he means offside - singular. Aggh!).

Which is why I was a little surprised to see the tone of this column from co-worker Scott Wolf.

Scott is a huge fan of the European game, owns more replica jerseys than any human being I know and often heads to Europe to take in a few games.

Scott has a lacerating sense of understatement he usually uses to good effect to skewer the deserving, but this one missed the mark (check out the comments at the end of the story).

Do pointy-ball football teams sell out preseason games? Thought not.

When that many people show up to an exhibition game early in pre-season (that one would think could be of questionable quality) on a weekday in these weather conditions at a time when this country is saturated with visiting top-class teams, well, the U.S. soccer community should be saluted, not condemned, for it's showing.

I know I do. From the comfort of my couch.

Here's the perspective from England.

And here's the answer to the question, do these games help soccer grow at the grassroots level? In this case, yes.

Highlights:

In Pasadena at 8 p.m. it's Chelsea against Inter Milan. The game is live on ESPN2.

John Terry's Chelsea future is still up in the air (AP Photo).

Game preview.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's Michael Ballack has returned to England with a broken toe, while trade rumors continue to swirl around John Terry.

Earlier:
Inter go to Hollywood.

The people and nation who will really benefit from tonight's game.

This author signs copies of his book at the game today.

Meanwhile, up in Ventura at a high school stadium the PDL Ventura County Fusion will play EPL newcomers Burnley. (You can listen to game commentary at the Web site).

Game preview.

More here.

Getty Images

David Beckham's first home game back with the Galaxy was (almost) everything you could ask for from a preseason (for Milan) friendly that was more about the show than the result and the money AEG was making from its prize soccer asset.

Was it a coincidence David Beckham was playing against his former and likely future club and looked more interested performing for the Galaxy Sunday night than he did for half of last season?

I think not.

Beckham created both L.A. goals and indeed during the first half he seemed responsible for virtually every Galaxy attack of note in front of as packed a stadium as I've ever seen at Home Depot Center (but it nevertheless worked out to exactly an announced 27,000 as usual). It was a pleasure to watch, but somehow it felt more than a little calculated.

Beckham played this game and this crowd like the savvy public relations expert he is. The prestigious event against classy European opposition. Buddy Tom Cruise watching from the stands. And a little slice of anti-hero just to add spice.

David Beckham controls the ball against AC Milan defenders Massimo Ambrosini (23) and Mathieu Flamini. (AP Photo).

Beckham even had the obligatory confrontation with the unforgiving Riot Squad just before half time that was suitably provocative and inconsequential enough to bolster, not harm his pseudo-macho image (this is the second game in a row the usually reticent Becks has worn a - gasp- short sleeve soccer jersey that does nothing to hide his tats).

In contrast to what Beckham insisted he yelled at the crowd, one press box colleague related that he was told Becks said a word that starts with "m" and ends with "r" and taunted a fan to come on down and get a piece of him. So the fan did, never made it to the field and got thrown out (but not arrested), according to the Riot Squad message boards.

Notable: Milan Coach Leonardo expressing surprise at the Galaxy tactics given that Beckham was in midfield:

"The first half was very tough for both teams," he said. "The long balls of the Galaxy was a big surprise to us."

Really?

The AP game story is here.

Here's the version in the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other MediaNews Los Angeles Newspaper Group papers.

Galaxy 2 AC Milan 2

This game petered out after the two second half goals as one might expect, with AC Milan satisfied to share the spoils and the Galaxy with both Landon Donovan and David Beckham subbed out by game's end never likely to muster enough creativity to score a winner.

The Beckham boos diminished as the night went on and he actually received an ovation from some sections of the stands when subbed in the 71st minute.

I think most fans will say they got their value for money here tonight though - and you can't say that about every Galaxy game this season.

More later.

Galaxy 2 AC Milan 2

(Blogging software issues - apologies).

AC Milan showed how fast it could strike in the 61st minute, half time substitute Filippo Inzaghi finishing off a a deadly move of stunning swiftness and simplicity with a shot from 12 yards out that beat sub Josh Saunders in the net. Ronaldhinho had begun the move, getting the ball out wide to Mathieu Flamini.

The Galaxy equalized four minutes later from a David Beckham corner kick taken from the corner in front of the Riot Squad who appeared to be giving him a bad time again.

Becks' cross found its way through a gaggle of bodies in the box to Bryan Jordan who managed to turn it into the net. Becks gestured to the Riot Squad after the goal, making his point.

Galaxy 0 AC Milan 1

AC Milan take the leak through a freakish free kick from 35 yards out when Davide Di Gennaro's ball bounced through the Galaxy penalty area and then appeared to just brush an on-rushing Thiago Silva's head and bounce past a stunned Donovan Rickets into the goal.

Bit of a weird one that.

I'd say the boo to cheer ratio was 60:40 when David Beckham jogged out to warm-up.

The Riot Squad have unveiled some apt signs for the occasion including "Hey Becks! Here before you, here after you, here despite you," "23 Repent" and "Go home fraud 23"

(Updated: It's about 13 minutes before kickoff; the signs are gone, no doubt removed by AEG. Update 2: They're back).

It's thankfully cooling off here in Carson, but it will still be an endurance test for the capacity crowd where full sun remains.

Galaxy XI (4-4-2): Donovan Ricketts, A.J. DeLaGarza, Omar Gonazalez, Gregg Berhalter, Todd Dunivant, Eddie Lewis, David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Stefani Miglioranzi, Edson Buddle, Alecko Eskandarian.

Alan Gordon, Jovan Kirovski and Chris Birchall are among the bench options.

(Updated: Boos mixed with cheers when Beckham was introduced, too).

AC Milan lineup (4-4-2): Zeljko Kalac, Massimo Oddo, Alessandro Nesta, Thiago Silva, Marek Jankulovski, Mathieu Flamini, Massimo Ambrosini, Clarence Seedorf, Davide Di Gennaro, Marco Borriello, Ronaldinho.

Filippo Inzagi is on the bench; Alessandro Nesta, new signing Oguchi Onyewu and Pato are among those missing altogether for Milan.

The game is on FSN.

When I told my wife about today's soccer schedule, she gave me on of those "so you want to remain married" looks?

No wonder. And this isn't a complete list of televised games, just my picks:

10 a.m. ESPN2 - Houston Dynamo at Toronto FC (the Western Conference leaders visit the Eastern Conference co-leaders;final was 1-1).

Noon ESPN2 - Chelsea at Seattle Sounders (in a game that will see the London EPL team go up against former Arsenal striker Freddie Ljungberg; Chelsea, of course, play in Pasadena Tuesday against Inter Milan).

2 p.m. KMEX - Canada-Honduras Gold Cup quarterfinal (can Canada make a run at the Gold Cup final for the first time since they won the trophy in the rain at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in 2000?)

5 p.m. Fox Soccer Channel - U.S.-Panama Gold Cup quarterfinal

Good things ease up Sunday:
Noon ESPN - U.S. Women's National Team-Canada

3 p.m. KMEX - Mexico-Haiti Gold Cup quarterfinal

3 p.m. FSN - Chivas USA-New England Revolution

4 p.m. ESPN2 - World Football Challenge, Club America-Inter Milan

7 p.m. FSN - Galaxy-AC Milan (the game at Home Depot center is sold out).

Or not.

Enjoy the weekend.

Oh, and will ya look at Manchester United's mighty Michael Owen.

Crowds have apparently been steadily growing this week at UCLA as word of Inter Milan's presence on campus gets around.

Nice story here from the Daily Bruin about a Thursday scrimmage against a travel team that included the likes of U.S. Under-20 international and Bruins goalkeeper Brian Perk (as well as Kyle Nakazawa of Palos Verdes Estates). And I'm guessing that was Ian Sarachan, son of Galaxy Coach Dave Sarachan, who has been training with the Galaxy in recent months, on the field against the Italians, too.

Here's the Inter Milan version from their official Web site

Inter Milan will practice at 10 a.m. Saturday on campus before heading to the Bay Area to play Club America in a game shown live on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. It's open to the public.

Inter Milan plays Chelsea Tuesday at the Rose Bowl in the World Football Challenge. Chelsea plays at noon Saturday in a friendly against the Seattle Sounders shown on ESPN2.

Earlier: Inter Milan Go Hollywood.

Also: Rivals AC Milan will practice at UCLA at 7 p.m. Saturday at Spaulding Field ahead of Sunday's sold-out game against the Galaxy. I do not know whether it is open to the public. But the following are not on the U.S. tour, according to the club's Web site: Christian Abbiati, Mathias Cardacio, Tabarè Viudez and Matteo Darmian.

Inter Milan unveiled their 2009-2010 season kit that celebrates the centenary of the club's first league title at an invitation-only flashy production Thursday night at Nike Sportswear at The Montalbán in Hollywood.

Photos by Susan Goldman courtesy of Nike

Dejean Stankovic, left, waves to the crowd while Alessandro Mancini, Thiago Motta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Francesco Toldo look on.

The event apparently included a "blue carpet" arrival by team and a "history of Inter kit runway show."

The new kit will be worn first at the World Football Challenge tournament that includes a game between Inter and Chelsea Tuesday at the Rose Bowl.

From the press release:

The new kit is subtly infused with stories from their glorious past starting with their first win in the 1909-1910 season. Additional inspiration for the uniform was taken from several triumphant periods including the 1965-1966 season when Inter won their tenth Championship thus earning the star that now sits proudly above their club crest.

As the press release reminds us, they are from Italy:

The cut and fit of this new kit reflects the best of Italian tailoring by taking Milan's innate sense of style from the catwalk and boutiques on to the football pitch.

From the this isn't just a soccer kit, it's a "sweat management fabric" department:

The uniform is made with Nike's Dri-FIT fabric, a cross-category and successful versatile, sweat management fabric resulting from years of research and testing. Nike Dri-FIT apparel is designed to keeps players drier, cooler and lighter by drawing sweat from the body to the fabric's surface; the three-dimensional structure creates air space around the skin, reducing clinging and maintaining athletes more comfortable on the field.

That means the expensive seats at the side of the field, the grass berm as well as the standing room only tickets the club put on sale last weekend (the first time I can recall them doing that).

The club made the announcement this afternoon and also announced that the game will be televised on Fox Sports West with coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Guess the furor over David Beckham is good for ticket sales, huh?

Decided to take a break from blogging today, but was - well, perhaps inspired is not the right word - motivated to write something when I saw this headline.

Oh, brother. (Regular readers of my Tuesday column will understand the reference in the headline). This is a case of 'if we say it enough times people will start believing it." The word for this: propaganda.

BTW, did you see the Matt Lauer interview on "The Today Show"with Beckham this morning? My mother called to alert me it was on. Insipid.

Also:
*Several people have e-mailed to ask whether the Inter Milan practices at UCLA ahead of next week's Chelsea game at the Rose Bowl are open to the public.

Here's the best explanation I've seen in the Daily Bruin.

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho flew to Los Angeles today where he is expected to tour UCLA's facilities in preparation for this summer's workouts the team will hold there.

And, of course, Chelsea plays Inter Milan at the Rose Bowl July 21 as part of four-team, six-city round robin tournament that also includes Club America and AC Milan dubbed the World Football Challenge.