norwich pre season schedule

Norwich City’s pre-season will be a mixture of non-league, English Football League and international opposition including a home friendly against Real Zaragoza and a further side to be confirmed.

The Canaries will kick off their pre-season at Emerald Park against Ridgeons Division One champions Gorleston on Saturday, July 16 (3pm).

Paul Lambert’s squad will then return to Germany where he took his side last summer for a training camp - this year the team will also face three friendly games against German opposition to be confirmed.

On returning to Germany for the second year running Lambert said: “The structure will be pretty much the same with lots of hard work and the games will test the lads with a different type of football in terms of the speed of the game, which will be great preparation to get us fit.”

A Norwich City XI team will travel to non-league opponents Wroxham on Tuesday, July 19 (7.30pm) and Histon on Thursday, July 21 (7.30pm).

The first team squad will return to England to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park (Tuesday, July 26, 7.30pm), Southend United at Roots Hall (Thursday, July 28, 7.30pm) and then a trip to Coventry City (Saturday, July 30, 3pm).

The first of two home friendlies will be against La Liga side Real Zaragoza on Wednesday, August 3 (7.30pm) and then City will face another opponent to be confirmed on Saturday, August 6.

The schedule will be completed by further City XI games away to Billericay Town on Thursday, August 4 (7.30pm) and Liverpool Reserves on Wednesday, August 10 (2pm), before the 2011/12 Premier League season kicks off on Saturday, August 13.

The club is working with Adam Drury’s testimonial committee on a future date for a testimonial game for Adam at Carrow Road. However, no date has yet been scheduled with the possible option of an end of season game next year.

Lambert said: “Pre-season is all about us getting fit and the lads prepared for the big season ahead.

“All the games will put us in good stead and with the foreign opposition coming to Carrow Road it’s a different type of football to test the lads.”


• City’s pre-season fixtures:

Saturday, July 16 (3pm) Gorleston (A)

Tuesday, July 19 (7.30pm) Wroxham v City XI

Thursday, July 21 (7.30pm) Histon v City XI

Tuesday, July 26 (7.30pm) Crystal Palace (A)

Thursday, July 28 (7.30pm) Southend United (A)

Saturday, July 30 (3pm) Coventry City (A)

Wednesday, August 3 (7.30pm) Real Zaragoza (H)

Thursday, August 4 (7.30pm) Billericay Town v City XI

Saturday, August 6 Parma (H)

Wednesday, August 10 (2pm) Liverpool Reserves v City XI