Pre-season underway
Gone are the days when the top soccer teams in Europe eased their way through pre-season with a few gentle ‘shakedowns’ – often against local lower league opponents – before upping the ante in the last couple of matches.
Now it’s de rigueur to travel to the four corners of the world to play in lucrative high-level pre-season games and tournaments – usually against the best of the best – to prep themselves for their domestic campaigns.
They all do it. Not doing so would mean missing out on the type of revenue that could be the difference between signing and not signing a new player – one that could be the make-or-break between a mediocre season and a great one.
the only opportunity they have to see Europe’s top teams in action
In recent years, the US has been the go-to destination for many. Top NFL stadiums are often sold out as Americans and European ex-pats take the only opportunity they have to see Europe’s top teams in action. This may change in the future if, as has been rumored, the English Premier League (EPL) and La Liga take some league games stateside. But for now, pre-season friendlies it is.
To give you an idea of where these elite teams have traveled and gauge how their pre-season preparations are going, we will look at five such teams, including their betting odds for the upcoming season.
Real Madrid
Los Blancos have, unsurprisingly, been one of the teams to head to the US. Also unsurprisingly, their squad includes more internationals than any other, so, as a result, their pre-season has suffered more than most as a result of the European Football Championship 2024 and the Copa America.
But it’s now underway, and they arrived in Chicago on Sunday ahead of three friendlies that are part of what’s being marketed as the Soccer Champions Tour. The other three teams involved are AC Milan, Barcelona, and Chelsea.
Not part of their traveling party is French captain and superstar Kylian Mbappé who is on an extended break after leading his country to the semifinals of the Euros before heading to Madrid for his official unveiling. He will join up with the squad once they return home from the US.
The French captain is expected to make his Real Madrid debut in Warsaw on August 14 when they play Atalanta in the European Super Cup.
Also missing from their squad was Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal who both played in the Euro final. They too are on an extended break and will join the pre-season preparations when the squad returns to Spain.
But included in the 26-man Real Madrid touring party is their latest signing, Brazilian teenage striker Endrick, who recently joined from Palmeiras after turning 18. His international teammates Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo Goes are included in the 26 but will join up with the squad in the next few days.
As a result of these omissions and late arrivals, Los Blancos head coach Carlo Ancelotti has included 12 youth team players in the traveling squad to give them game time against top-level opposition.
the first El Clasico of the season against Barcelona
Madrid’s first game of the tour is against AC Milan at Soldier Field, Chicago on July 31 before the first El Clasico of the season against Barcelona on August 3 at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. The tour concludes with the Chelsea game on August 9 at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Rumors emanating from the Santiago Bernadeau suggest that with the additions of Mbappe, Endrick, and Joselu from Espanyol, Ancelotti is not looking to do any more business in this transfer window.
ODDS: To win La Liga (-225) / To win Champions League (+300)
Arsenal
After taking Man City so close in the race for the EPL title last term, the Gunners are expected to be busy in this summer’s transfer market. Already through the door is Italian center-back Riccardo Calafiori, who joined the squad on their tour of, you guessed it, North America.
Mikel Arteta is expected to make further signings before the window closes on August 31 as he looks to further close the gap on Man City.
impressive 2-1 win over Manchester United
On their tour of the US, Arsenal will play only against English opposition and started the tour with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth in Dignity Health Sports Park, California. This was followed by an impressive 2-1 win over Manchester United in the equally impressive surroundings of the SoFi Stadium in LA.
They conclude the US tour with a game against Liverpool in the Lincoln Financial Field Stadium in Philadelphia on August 1. Once back in England, they play two home friendlies at The Emirates Stadium, against German champions Bayer Leverkusen on August 7 and Lyon on August 11.
The squad that Arteta took to the States had a youthful look, again for obvious reasons. There was no Bakayo Saka, Declan Rice, or Aaron Ramsdale, who were all part of England’s Euro 2024 campaign, Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz, all of whom played for their counties over the summer, are expected to join up with the squad in the US midway through the tour.
With no senior goalkeepers in the squad, the gloves have been handed to 18-year-old new arrival Tommy Setford, while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney miss out on the tour completely through injury. Both Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah have been linked with moves away from The Emirates but are both in the touring party.
ODDS: To win Premier League (+190) / To win Champions League (+900)
Liverpool
This is the Reds’ first pre-season without manager Jurgen Klopp for nine years so it has a different look and feel for Liverpool fans. Dutchman Arne Slot is the man tasked with stepping into the shoes of the legendary German and so this pre-season has an added dimension.
While Liverpool are now, predictably, in the US, their pre-season started back in England with a behind-closed-doors friendly against Preston North End, which they surprisingly lost 1-0 on July 19.
a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Hungarian international, Dominik Szoboszlai
Fortunately for the Reds, things picked up once they arrived in the States, and in their first tour game – against Real Betis in the Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh – they recorded a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Hungarian international, Dominik Szoboszlai.
Now things get even tougher for Slot’s men with games against Arsenal (in Philadelphia on August 1) and Manchester United (in South Carolina on August 4)
Once they return to the UK, most Liverpool fans will get their first chance to see a Slot team live when they host Sevilla on 11 August – just six days before their Premier League opener against newly-promoted Ipswich Town.
Slot took a party of 28 to the States minus those involved in the latter stages of Euro 2024 and the Copa America, like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Darwin Nunez, due to link up with their teammates at a later date having been given extended time off.
In terms of incomings, things have yet to kick into gear as Slot assesses the players he currently has available. But there are rumors aplenty and they have been strongly linked with Galatasaray winger Barış Alper Yılmaz, Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon (once of Everton), and Bayer Leverkusen’s Dutch right-back Jeremie Frimpong. Expect plenty of new names to be added to that list in the coming days.
ODDS: To win Premier League (+750) / To win Champions League (+1200)
Bayern Munich
For Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, last season was a disappointment. They expect to win their domestic league and if they fail to do so, it is considered a failure. But even before their Bundesliga fate had been decided, it had been announced that head coach Thomas Tuchel would be leaving at the end of the season.
Once the season had been completed – they finished runners-up to Bayer Leverkusen – it was announced that Tuchel’s replacement would be Burnley boss Vincent Kompany.
heading to South Korea where they will face striker Harry Kane’s ex-team, Tottenham Hotspur
For pre-season, the Bavarians have opted against a trip to the USA and, instead, are heading to South Korea where they will face striker Harry Kane’s ex-team, Tottenham Hotspur. However, it’s unclear if Kane will make the trip as he too is on an extended break after Euro 2024.
Kompany also opted for a rigorous pre-season in Germany before the trip to South Korea to get the players’ fitness up to the required level. Along the way, they beat FC Rottach-Egern 14-1 and followed that massive win up with a 1-1 against FC Düren.
The new boss was also boosted, before departing for South Korea, with Germany’s Euro 2024 stars Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala all rejoining the squad.
As part of their Korean tour, known as the Audi Summer Tour, which is from July 31 to August 5, the friendly match against Spurs will take place in Seoul on August 1. The day before, Bayern will hold an open training session in the Seoul World Cup Stadium, where the South Korean fans will see the familiar face of their countryman Kim, who joined Bayern in the summer of 2023.
Kompany has been very busy in the transfer market so far, with no less than seven new names added to their roster so far. The two most expensive ones have come from the English Premier League where they have parted with over €100m ($108.3m) to bring in Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise and Fulham’s Joao Palhinha.
ODDS: To win Bundesliga (-110) / To win Champions League (+1000)
Barcelona
Barcelona are in the same situation as both Liverpool and Bayern in that this pre-season marks the start of a new chapter for the club under a new head coach. Hansi Flick was handpicked by the Barcelona hierarchy to replace club legend Xavi, following a disappointing campaign that saw them relinquish their La Liga title to bitter rivals Real Madrid.
While the first pre-season under a new coach is always exciting for fans, it’s also a crucial period as the new head coach has limited time to assess his squad before deciding what positions, if any, he needs to strengthen. At a club like Barcelona, that particular job is doubly important.
rumors floating that just nine senior players reported for duty on day one
Flick’s tenure officially began on July 10 when some of his first-team squad reported for duty in Catalonia minus those who had played in Euro 2024 and the Copa America, with rumors floating that just nine senior players reported for duty on day one.
Those that did return were put through their paces on home soil for two weeks before they too headed Stateside for a three-game tour and training camp. Not included in the touring party were Alejandro Balde, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong who are still recovering from injury.
Barca opened their tour with a 2-2 draw against English champions Manchester City in Camping World Stadium, Orlando on July 31 before they head to New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium for the meeting with Real Madrid. Incidentally, this same stadium will host the FIFA World Cup Final in 2026.
The tour concludes in Baltimore on August 7 when they take on AC Milan before they head home to play AS Monaco in Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium.
The transfer embargo that so hindered Barcelona’s progress last season still affects their ability to release funds and bring in players, but still, many rumors persist. Top of their list of targets is Spain’s Euro 2024 sensation Nico Williams who is reported to be the subject of a €70m ($75.8m) bid from Barca to Athletic Bilbao.
Also in the frame is Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino, who is reportedly the subject of a €50m ($54.1m) bid.
ODDS: To win La Liga (+350) / To win Champions League (+1200)