Sports News of Monday, 22 July 2024

Source: www.punchng.com

Pre-season friendlies: Check out Chelsea, Man Utd, other EPL clubs fixtures

L-R: Enzo Maresca, Arne Slot, Erik Ten Hag and Pep Guardiola L-R: Enzo Maresca, Arne Slot, Erik Ten Hag and Pep Guardiola

As the new football season approaches, Premier League clubs are ramping up their preparations with a series of pre-season friendlies.

These matches offer valuable opportunities for players and managers to fine-tune their tactics and integrate new signings before the competitive action begins.

Several clubs have already kicked off their pre-season campaigns, with mixed results.

Manchester United, under the scrutiny of manager Erik Ten Hag, suffered a 1-0 defeat to Norwegian side Rosenborg but bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Rangers.

The Red Devils’ new signing, Leny Yoro, made his debut in the latter match, just two days after joining the club.

Meanwhile, Everton faced challenges both on and off the pitch.

As the Friedkin Group withdrew from negotiations to purchase the club, Sean Dyche’s team struggled in a 3-3 draw with Sligo Rovers.

The match saw the Blues debut their new Castore home strip and required a late brace from Youssef Chermiti to salvage a draw.

Many Premier League clubs are heading to the United States for their pre-season tours.

Manchester City, preparing for a fifth consecutive title defence, will conclude their US tour with the Community Shield against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

City manager Pep Guardiola said, “Despite being City’s fourth consecutive appearance in the match, a win in August would be their first since 2019.”

Other clubs crossing the Atlantic include Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Liverpool. These teams will face a mix of domestic and international opponents in various US cities.

Some clubs are opting for European or Asian tours. Tottenham Hotspur, for instance, will play matches in Tokyo and Seoul, including a high-profile friendly against Bayern Munich on August 3rd.

The pre-season schedule also provides opportunities for lower-league opposition. Bournemouth, for example, played out a 1-1 draw with Wrexham, while Crystal Palace began their preparations with a 1-1 tie against Charlton Athletic.

As the summer progresses, these friendlies will play a crucial role in shaping the teams for the upcoming Premier League season.

New managers, such as Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca, Liverpool’s Arne Slot, and Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler, will be particularly eager to impart their tactical philosophies on their squads.

With the Premier League kickoff looming, these pre-season fixtures offer fans a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come in the 2024-25 campaign.

Full list

Arsenal
July 20: Arsenal 2-0 Leyton Orient

July 25 vs Bournemouth, 3:30am, Dignity Health Park

July 28 vs Manchester United, 01:00am, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles

August 7 vs Bayer Leverkusen, 6:00pm, Emirates Stadium, London

August 11 vs Lyon, 2:00pm Emirates Stadium, London



Aston Villa

July 17: Aston Villa 3-0 Walsall

July 20: Spartak Trnava 0-3 Aston Villa


July 28 vs Columbus Crew, 1:00am, Lower.com Field, Ohio

August 1 vs RB Leipzig, 1:00am, Red Bull Arena, New Jersey

August 3 vs Club America, 10:30pm, Soldier Field, Chicago

August 7 vs Athletic Bilbao, 7:30pm, Bescot Stadium

August 10 vs Borussia Dortmund, 4:00pm, Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund



Bournemouth


July 20: Wrexham 1-1 Bournemouth

July 25 vs Arsenal, 3:30am, Dignity Health Sports Park, Los Angeles

August 4 vs Rayo Vallecano, 3:00pm, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

August 10 vs Girona, 7:00pm, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth



Brentford

July 20: AFC Wimbledon 2-5 Brentford


July 25 vs Benfica, 8:00pm, Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

July 30 vs Estrela da Amadora, 11:00, Behind closed doors

August 3 vs Watford, 3:00pm, Vicarage Road

August 9 vs Wolfsburg, 7:45pm, Gtech Community Stadium



Brighton & Hove Albion

July 24 vs Kashima Antlers, 11:00am, National Stadium, Tokyo


July 28 vs Tokyo Verdy, 10:30am, National Stadium, Tokyo

August 3 vs QPR, 3:00pm, Loftus Road



Chelsea

July 25 vs Wrexham, 3:00am, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara

July 27 vs Celtic, 9:00pm, Notre Dame Stadium, Indiana

August 1 vs Club America, 12:00am, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta


August 3 vs Manchester City, 10:30pm, Ohio Stadium, Columbus

August 6 vs Real Madrid, 7:00pm, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte

August 11 vs Inter Milan, 3:00pm, Stamford Bridge



Crystal Palace

July 19: Crystal Palace 1-1 Charlton

July 27 vs Crawley, 12:30pm, Broadfield Stadium


August 1 vs Wolves, 01:00am, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Maryland

August 4 vs West Ham, 12:00am, Raymond James Stadium, Florida

August 11 vs FC Nantes, 3:00pm, Selhurst Park



Everton

July 19: Sligo Rovers 3-3 Everton

July 27 vs Salford City, 3:00pm, Peninsula Stadium


July 30 vs Coventry, 7:45pm, Coventry Building Society Arena

August 3 vs Preston, 3:00pm, Deepdale

Nottingham Forest

July 13: Chesterfield 0-3 Nottingham Forest

July 19: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Sunderland

July 23 vs Millwall, 6:00pm, Pinatar Arena, Spain


July 27 vs Elche, 10:00am, Pinatar Arena, Spain



Southampton

July 19: Eastleigh 1-7 Southampton

July 24 vs Bordeaux, 10:00am, Behind closed doors

July 27 vs Montpellier, 10:00am, Behind closed doors




Tottenham Hotspur

July 17: Hearts 1-5 Tottenham

July 20: QPR 0-2 Tottenham

July 27 vs Vissel Kobe, 11:00am, National Stadium, Tokyo

July 31 vs Team K League, 12:00pm, Seoul World Cup Stadium, South Korea

August 3 vs Bayern Munich, 12:00pm, Seoul World Cup Stadium, South Korea

August 10 vs Bayern Munich, 5:30pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium




West Ham

July 15: Ferencvaros 2-2 West Ham

July 20: Dagenham & Redbridge 0-1 West Ham

July 28 vs Wolves, 12:00am, EverBank Stadium, Florida

August 4 vs Crystal Palace, 12:00am, Raymond James Stadium, Florida

August 10 vs Celta Vigo, 3:00pm, London Stadium




Wolves

July 28 vs West Ham, 12:00am, EverBank Stadium, Florida

August 1 vs Crystal Palace, 1:00am, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Maryland

August 3 vs RB Leipzig, 7:30pm, Chase Stadium, Miami

August 10 vs Rayo Vallecano, 3:00pm, Molineux