There will be a miniature version of the El Classico and a miniature version of the London Derby. After a brief break for summer vacation, the new football season in Europe is almost about to begin. This means that fans need to fasten their seat belts because they are in for a season jam-packed with exciting football action.
The preseason games and exhibitions are about to begin for those interested in football. Clubs will be donning new colors and some familiar faces will be joined by unfamiliar ones. The preseason is a significant time for clubs to establish their foundations for the next season.
The managers make adjustments to their strategies and familiar faces are given a chance to work with new teammates. The following piece will discuss the best preseason friendlies to watch, ranking them from one to 10.
10. Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal – 22th July
This summer saw a revolution at the club with Erling Haaland‘s departure and installing a new coach at Signal Iduna Park. Some of Dortmund’s most interesting newcomers this year are Niklas Süle, Salih zcan, Nico Schlotterbeck and Karim Adeyemi. They have high aspirations when they join the club. Dortmund’s stars will get a workout against Villarreal in an away match on the 22nd in Austria.
9. RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool – 21th July
On July 21st, Liverpool will face RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena. An exciting new signing, Darwin Nez, will take Sadio Mane’s spot for the reds. The match against RB Leipzig, one of the top teams in the Bundesliga over the past few years, could provide a valuable experience for their new players.
8. Tottenham Hotspurs vs. AS Roma – 26 July
Spurs, Mourinho’s former team, will take on AS Roma, his present club. Both teams had good campaigns last year and will aim higher in the upcoming campaign. Both AS Roma who won the UEFA Conference League last season and Tottenham who just signed Richarlison have stated their intentions for the forthcoming season to compete for a Champions League spot.
7. Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich – 23rd July
The preseason game between the Premier League champion and the Bundesliga champion will be a clash of the titans. In their preseason schedule, the Citizens have played two exhibition games. The 20th of July will see them take on Bayern Munich but before that, they will face Club America. There are plenty of well-known athletes on both teams. Therefore you should watch this contest. The match will have prominent names like Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Tomas Muller and Leroy Sane.
6. Manchester United vs. Atletico Madrid – July 30
Manchester United has another primary friendly scheduled after their battle with Liverpool on July 12. It’s a rematch with Atlético Madrid the Spanish powerhouse that ended their Champions League run last season. Both teams have been relatively quiet in the transfer market thus far but they will be looking ahead to next season when they play these exhibition matches. After last year’s poor campaigns, these exhibition matches will do both clubs well.
5. Barcelona vs. Juventus – 26th July
Another legendary match featuring FC Barcelona will be played when they take on Juventus in the United States. Losing stars Paulo Dybala, Giorgio Chiellini and Federico Bernardeschi means that preseason for Juventus is more critical than ever. Paul Pogba and Angel Di Maria, two rumored newcomers to the team could make an appearance. Max Allegri would have fresh legs to work within a stern preseason test against FC Barcelona.
4. Real Madrid vs. Juventus – 30th July
Real Madrid will play the Italian powerhouse Juventus in their final preseason game. Both sides come into these exhibition games with quite different mindsets. The Juventus squad is currently rebuilding, and Carlos Ancelotti plans to use the offseason to try out some new strategies and depth players.
3. Chelsea vs. Arsenal – 23rd July
Despite their heated rivalry in London, Chelsea and Arsenal will face off on July 23 in Orlando, Florida in a Premier League match. After losing Romelu Lukaku and having recruitment difficulties, Chelsea has already taken a significant hit this season. On the other hand, Arsenal has been extremely busy in the transfer market bringing in both Fábio Vieira and Gabriel Jesus. Mikel Arteta can acquire a good feel for his new players during the preseason.
2. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona – 23rd July
Beginning their U.S. tour against Barcelona FC, Real Madrid will play in a historic matchup against one of the sport’s all-time great rivals. This game will take place on the dates specified but the start time has not yet been determined. The previous year was a polar opposite for both squads. Both the Champions League and Spanish League were won by Real Madrid while FC Barcelona was left empty-handed. Xavi took over as team leader in the middle of last season and immediately showed signs of great promise. This preseason he’ll be looking to hone his strategies.
1. Liverpool vs. Manchester United – 12th July
Liverpool is taking last season’s title’s success into their pre-season friendlies. Their best results came from a second-place finish in both the Premier League and the Champions League. The Reds were one of the most thrilling sides to watch in Europe last year.
They will try various fresh strategies and new players to find a replacement for Sadio Mane. Despite this, Manchester United endured a dreadful transfer window thus far after a nightmare season last year. Before starting his first season as manager, Erik Tag Han will use the offseason to try out his new strategies with the club’s hopeful new faces.
Rose Will is a poet, an educator, and the Nogmagazine bestselling author. Will writes for children of all ages. Her other picture books include Undefeated, Animal Ark, and Out of Wonder. A regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition, Kwame is the recipient of several awards, including the Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, three NAACP Image Award nominations, and the 2018 inaugural Conroy Legacy Award.