The game against the Premier League team from the south-east of England kicks off at the Alois Latini Stadium in Zell am See-Kaprun at 15.00 CET; followed by the game against Sociedad Deportiva Eibar at the same venue at 18.30 CET. Head coach Peter Bosz wants to use different players in these games to give all his squad at the training camp the maximum possible time on the pitch.
Tickets for the two games will only be available on the day on site. There is an option of watching both games: €18 for adults and €10 for children (7 to 17 years of age) or just the second match against SD Eibar (€10 for adults and €5 for children).
Brief lowdown on opponents:
Watford:
This August, the Hornets start their fifth season in the Premier League. In the last two league campaigns, the team promoted in 2015 finished eleventh in the table – the best finish in the recent history of the club who, for a long time, had the music legend Elton John as their chairman. Currently (as at 9 June 2019) the 36-man squad under Spanish coach Javi Garcia has 12 international players. It is also likely that there will be movement in terms of personnel over the next few weeks – as for example with Dodi Lukebakio, who made a name for himself last season on loan at Fortuna Düsseldorf (10 Bundesliga goals), and is now likely to be sold on at a profit according to media reports.
SD Eibar:
José Luis Mendilibar has coached the Spanish top-flight club for four years with promotion to La Liga happening five years ago for the first time in the 75-year history of the club. The provincial club from the Basque country have also established a first. Never before has a club from such a small town (population of 27,000) played in Spain's top flight. After a good ninth place in the previous season, SD Eibar finished eleventh last term. Former FC Bayern player and shareholder Xabi Alonso played for the club in 2000 – 2001. Goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic (Serbia), Pape Diaob (Senegal), Paulo Oliveira (Portugal) and Fabián Orellana (Chile) are current and former international players in the ranks of the Blue and Reds who also have a couple of promising Spanish youngsters. For the past year, the former Mainz player Pablo de Blasis, a familiar face from the Bundesliga (103 appearances), has played up front for the Basque side.
The highly successful and mutually appreciated partnership between Bayer 04 and head coach Xabi Alonso ends after two and a half years. The 43-year-old Spaniard has led the Werkself to three trophies. Above all, winning the first German league title in the club's history will always be associated with the name of Xabi Alonso. The former world class player, who won many hearts in Leverkusen as a person, now says farewell to Bayer 04. We look back at a fantastic time with the Basque who fulfilled the biggest dream of all Bayer 04 fans together with an outstanding team.
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