International Champions Cup 2013 Schedule: Fixtures for Preseason Showcase

The 2013 International Champions Cup got underway with AC Milan edging Valencia in the opener on July 27. It was the first of several star-studded matchups scheduled for the inaugural event, which features top clubs from around the globe.

Although the European clubs are still in the preseason phase, the tournament atmosphere adds more intensity to the equation than a normal warm-up friendly. Whenever there's a trophy on the line, players naturally want to raise it.

Play resumes over the next few days with the remaining fixtures in Round 1. Knowing that, let's check out the complete schedule for the preseason event, followed by predictions for the final three fixtures in the opening round.

2013 International Champions Cup Schedule

Full Tournament Schedule

Match	Date	Time (ET)	Teams	Location
1	July 27	2 p.m.	Milan vs. Valencia	Valencia, Spain
2	July 31	11 p.m.	Juventus vs. Everton	San Francisco, Calif.
3	Aug. 1	8 p.m.	Chelsea vs. Inter	Indianapolis, Ind.
4	Aug. 1	9:30 p.m.	Real Madrid vs. L.A. Galaxy	Phoenix, Ariz.
5	Aug. 3	8 p.m.	Match 2 Loser vs. Match 4 Loser	Los Angeles, Calif.
6	Aug. 3	10:30 p.m.	Match 2 Winner vs. Match 4 Winner	Los Angeles, Calif.
7	Aug. 4	4 p.m.	Match 1 Loser vs. Match 3 Loser	New York, N.Y.
8	Aug. 4	6:30 p.m.	Match 1 Winner vs. Match 3 Winner	New York, N.Y.
7th Place	Aug. 6	6:30 p.m.	Match 5 Loser vs. Match 7 Loser	Miami, Fla.
5th Place	Aug. 6	9 p.m.	Match 5 Winner vs. Match 7 Winner	Miami, Fla.
3rd Place	Aug. 7	6:30 p.m.	Match 6 Loser vs. Match 8 Loser	Miami, Fla.
Championship	Aug. 7	9 p.m.	Match 6 Winner vs. Match 8 Winner	Miami, Fla.

All schedule information courtesy of the tournament's official site.

Round 1 Predictions

Juventus vs. Everton

Juventus hopes to jump-start its attack after a pair of scoreless outings in the TIM Trophy event. The club certainly doesn't lack offensive talent. Carlos Tevez, Mirko Vucinic and Arturo Vidal are among the stars who must step up as the new campaign approaches.

The Vecchia Signora represent the toughest preaseason challenge to date for Everton. The Toffees are coming off a pair of victories over lower-tier English squads, so the tournament will serve as a good measuring stick for new manager Roberto Martinez.

American fans should get a chance to see national team goalkeeper Tim Howard. While he needs a solid start to the new campaign in order to once again lock down the starting spot, he faces an uphill battle against a talented Juventus side in each club's tournament-opener.

Prediction: 2-1 Juventus

Chelsea vs. Inter Milan

Expectations are on the rise ahead of the new season for Chelsea, and rightfully so. The Blues' depth in attack gives returning boss Jose Mourinho no shortage of options. It all starts in the midfield, led by Eden Hazard and Juan Mata, among others.

Inter are looking to bounce back after a lackluster campaign. They remain unbeaten in preseason play, but the level of competition is about to increase dramatically. It puts extra pressure on the likes of Rodrigo Palacio and Diego Milito.

This should be the most wide-open match of the remaining Round 1 fixtures. Both teams have firepower, which should lead to a back-and-forth battle with plenty of chances at each end. In the end, Chelsea should advance in pursuit of the title.

Prediction: 3-2 Chelsea

Real Madrid vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

Real Madrid scored a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in one of the highest-profile preseason friendlies of the summer. It bodes well for their chances heading into the tournament, especially since they get to face an MLS side to start.

While the Galaxy are the defending MLS Cup champions, they face a tough challenge against an elite European side like los Blancos. They simply can't match the talent level of Cristiano Ronaldo and Co., even if they don't feature their entire first-team lineup.

The match should serve as a good opportunity for some of Real's rising stars, most notably Isco and Asier Illarramendi, to shine. The Galaxy, who are in midseason form, might provide some early resistance, but Real should move on with relative ease.

Prediction: 2-0 Real Madrid