Birmingham City are set to face Portuguese champions Porto in a behind closed doors friendly on Saturday, July 18, as part of their pre-season preparations. The match represents a significant step up in opposition for Chris Davies' side, who have already secured two victories in their pre-season campaign.
Pre-Season Progress
Blues continued their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 victory against Solihull Moors on Wednesday, following a win over Huddersfield Town in their opening match in Portugal last week. The team has shown promising form under new manager Chris Davies, who took over in the summer.
Speaking after the Solihull Moors match, Davies highlighted the importance of the upcoming test. "We've got a big test for us physically and tactically on Saturday against Porto, which is obviously behind closed doors, but that's going to be right up a level," he said.
Porto's Pedigree
Porto arrive in England for a training camp at St George's Park, the Football Association's national football centre. The Portuguese giants won the Primeira Liga title last season with an impressive 28 wins from 34 matches, finishing ahead of rivals Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.
Italian manager Francesco Farioli has reportedly selected a 35-man squad for the training camp, including striker Samu Aghehowa, who has been a consistent goalscorer in Portuguese and European football over the past two seasons. Porto reached the Europa League quarter-finals last season, narrowly losing 2-1 on aggregate to Nottingham Forest, and will compete in the Champions League next season after their domestic triumph.
Continued Pre-Season Schedule
After the Porto friendly, Birmingham City will face Burton Albion next Wednesday, followed by a double-header against Crewe Alexandra and Northampton Town next weekend. They will conclude their pre-season campaign with a high-profile match at St Andrew's against Barcelona on Friday, July 31.
The match against Barcelona is expected to be a major attraction, with Blues fans eager to see their team take on one of the world's most famous clubs. The fixture will serve as the final preparation before the start of the new Championship season.
