Five LaLiga sides prepare to face Premier League opposition in the UK

Published on: 20 July 2018

Spanish football returns to the United Kingdom this summer, with top LaLiga sides arriving on British soil for a series of pre-season friendlies in early August, as Premier League clubs make their final preparations for the upcoming campaign.

From 1st to 5th August, LaLiga clubs will play no fewer than eight (8) matches in the UK against Premier League sides during an intense five-day period. These friendlies are expected to feature several stars from this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia, while underscoring the importance of top-quality opposition for British clubs as they get ready for the 2018/19 season.

Leading the pack are three LaLiga sides preparing for European competition this year. Under manager Marcelino García, Valencia CF make their UEFA Champions League return for the first time in three years, in time for the club’s centenary season. Villarreal CF look to continue their perennial Europa League achievement under second-year manager and former youth product Javier Calleja. And Quique Setién’s Real Betis, one of LaLiga’s most spectacular sides last campaign, finishing ahead of intra-city rivals Sevilla FC, make their Europa League return for the first time since 2013/14.

Meanwhile, three LaLiga clubs featuring new managers have also included a UK stop in their pre-season schedules: RC Celta and boss Antonio Mohamed face off against Southampton and newly promoted Fulham; RCD Espanyol, with Joan Francesc “Rubí” Ferrer at the helm, feature in Burney’s final pre-season fixture at Turf Moor; and Girona FC, under Eusebio Sacristán, begin pre-season preparations in Manchester before flying to India in late July for LaLiga’s first-ever matches on the Subcontinent.

All this, in addition to several LaLiga teams playing pre-season friendlies against Premier League clubs and other top opposition elsewhere around the globe: including Germany, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United States and beyond.

Below is a calendar of confirmed matches for LaLiga clubs in the UK (Times BST):

Wed. 1 Aug - Leicester City vs. Valencia CF - King Power Stadium 19:45

Wed. 1 Aug - Southampton vs. RC Celta - St. Mary’s 19:45

Fri. 3 Aug - Bournemouth vs. Real Betis - Vitality Stadium 19:00

Sat. 4 Aug - Everton vs. Valencia CF - Goodison Park 15:00

Sat..4 Aug - Fulham vs. RC Celta - Craven Cottage 15:00

Sat. 4 Aug - Wolverhampton vs. Villarreal CF - Molineux 15:00

Sat. 4 Aug - Cardiff City vs. Real Betis - Cardiff City Stadium 17:15

Sun..5 Aug - Burnley vs. RCD Espanyol - Turf Moor 13:30

 

Other pre-season friendlies of note (Times BST):

Sat. 28 Jul - Sheffield Wednesday vs. Villarreal CF - Hillsborough Stadium 15:00

Sun. 29 Jul - Leeds United vs. UD Las Palmas - Elland Road 15:00

Sat. 4 Aug - Girona FC vs. Tottenham Hotspur - Estadi Montilivi - Girona 19:00

Sat. 4 Aug - Arsenal vs. Sevilla (ICC) - Friends Arena - Stockholm 19:00

Source: laligaes.es

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