Southampton: Saints announce pre-season home friendly against FC Koln

Southampton have announced that they will end their 2019/20 pre-season schedule with a home friendly against FC Cologne.

Saturday 3rd August has been set as the date for the fixture and will surely be a key marker for Saints’ preparations under Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Cologne – or Koln as they are known in Germany – were promoted to the Bundesliga as Champions of 2. Bundesliga in 2018/19.

They were relegated from the top-flight just one year after failing to contend with playing in the Europa League following their fifth-placed finish in 2016/17.

The club was founded in 1948 and has a rich history in German football with two Bundesliga titles and four German DFB Pokal cup triumphs.

This clash for Saints is due to take place a week before the beginning of the Premier League season and will round of a busy pre-season.

More from Saints Marching

• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 2: Arrivals
• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 1: Departures
• It’s time to talk about Gavin Bazunu
• Rain clouds on the horizon? Southampton beat Plymouth Argyle
• A lament for Southampton legend James Ward-Prowse

Already announced are a trip to Austria – which includes a friendly with Austrian Bundesliga side SCR Altach – and a game against Guangzhou R&F in Macau; potentially part of an agreements made between the club, Chinese owner Jisheng Gao and main club sponsor LD Sports.

A smaller group are expected to play in Macau whilst the rest of the first-team squad spend five days in Ireland.

Further pre-season fixtures will be expected but the importance of these preparations cannot be underestimated.

Finishes of 17th and 16th in consecutive Premier League seasons have seen Saints slip right down the league and face unwanted battles with relegation.

However, the style of football that Hasenhuttl has brought in since joining in December has seen the enjoyment return for Saints fans and hopes for the future have been boosted as a result.

The first-team squad that the Austrian has at his disposal is set to change significantly with incomings and outgoings this summer too and pre-season games can certainly help bed new faces in.

Pressing is key to Hasenhuttl’s philosophy and the training and matches that the off-season provides can only help to further adjust his players to their specific roles.