Former Indonesian U17 national team coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto has been officially appointed as the coach of the Indonesia All Stars who will face Aston Villa in the English club's pre-season tour match at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium.
In Indonesia All Stars, Kurniawan will work with Ricky Nelson, former assistant coach of Persija Jakarta who is now in charge of Persis Solo, as assistant coach, then legendary goalkeeper of the Red-White team, Hendro Kartiko, as goalkeeping coach.
The friendly against the Indonesia All Stars will be part of their preparations for the new Premier League season and the prestigious European Super Cup against Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
For Kurniawan himself, the match against Aston Villa will be a pivotal milestone in his career, one he will never forget. He will be facing Unai Emery on the same stage.
"Thank you for your trust. I'm proud to lead Indonesia's best players to face Aston Villa. They're a great team, in the top four of the Premier League and will be playing in the Champions League next season," said Kurniawan.
"Aston Villa is no ordinary opponent. It's an extraordinary experience for our players to test out a club with so many world-class stars," he said.
Kurniawan will be involved in the player selection process to form the best squad to face Aston Villa. The Indonesia All Stars team will be bolstered by selected players from the Indonesia Super League, who will be announced soon.
"We will put up our best fight, presenting an entertaining match for the spectators attending SUGBK," said the man who was nicknamed "The Skinny" during his playing days.
The Aston Villa vs. Indonesia All Stars match will be played at 7:00 PM WIB (Western Indonesian Time). Tickets are priced from Rp 350,000 to Rp 2,250,000, excluding tax, platform fees, and administration fees.
