Pre season home games against 2 European giants

Cardiff City line up pre-season friendlies against Spanish and Italian giants
12 Jun 2013


The club is currently in negotiations to bring two continental clubs to the Cardiff City Stadium in the weeks leading up to the start of the Bluebirds’ historic campaign.




Malky Mackay is set to test his squad against the cream of Europe as the Bluebirds prepare for life in the Premier League.

WalesOnline can reveal that the capital club are planning two high-profile pre-season friendlies against Spanish and Italian opposition in August.

The club is currently in negotiations to bring the two unnamed continental clubs to the Cardiff City Stadium in the weeks leading up to the start of the Bluebirds’ historic campaign.

Firm details have yet to be finalised, but the fixtures will be played in the Welsh capital in the two weeks leading up to the start of the Bluebirds’ top-flight season on August 17.

Mackay believes top opposition from Spain’s La Liga or Italy’s Serie A would be the perfect opposition for his side to round off their preparations.

One team that could figure in the match-ups is Spanish outfit Real Betis, who are actually in the Vale of Glamorgan in August holding their own training camp. In recent seasons, City have entertained the likes of Valencia and Deportivo in 2009 and 2010 at Cardiff City Stadium, while Lazio were pre-season visitors to Ninian Park back in 2004.

City boss Mackay is currently away on a family holiday and then at the end of this month will fly with his assistant David Kerslake and Craig Bellamy and Mark Hudson, to promote the Bluebirds on a trip to Malaysia.

A training camp in Switzerland will be followed by a series of less high-profile friendlies confirmed so far – Forest Green, Cheltenham and Brentford – all away from home.

But then supporters can expect those pair of glamour home friendlies in August as a tasty aperitif to the mouth-watering main course ahead.

Exciting! I predict Bologna as they're already playing against Stoke and West Brom. Not sure about the Spanish team, if it's an even bigger team that I can think of then wow, we could actually pack the place for a friendly

Real Betis and Napoli

Would love it to be Napoli.

A delegation from the club recently undertook a visit to the Bernabeu as guests of Real Madrid.

I'll put 2 and 2 together and come up with 10, but now that would be a friendly where we'd get a few extra through the gates than usual

[quote="CityGent"]A delegation from the club recently undertook a visit to the Bernabeu as guests of Real Madrid.

I'll put 2 and 2 together and come up with 10, but now that would be a friendly where we'd get a few extra through the gates than usual [/quote


If that game came off "wow" Hope i'm not on hols then, I was lucky enough to see them the last time we played them

A delegation from the club recently undertook a visit to the Bernabeu as guests of Real Madrid.

I'll put 2 and 2 together and come up with 10, but now that would be a friendly where we'd get a few extra through the gates than usual

I'd also like to see Milan. Our Italian mate would be over the moon with that.

A delegation from the club recently undertook a visit to the Bernabeu as guests of Real Madrid.

I'll put 2 and 2 together and come up with 10, but now that would be a friendly where we'd get a few extra through the gates than usual

I'd also like to see Milan. Our Italian mate would be over the moon with that.

Is the Italian team Watford?

Is the Italian team Watford?

I would LOVE teams like Atletico and AC Milan/Juventus to be the teams. Does anyone know how ticketing works for the pre-season home matches, if you're a ST holder do you go free or will your seat just be reserved to pay for, for a certain period or is it just first come first served regardless? Thanks

AC Milan and Malaga!

Spanish and Italian giants....... How do these people know there giants when we aint got the fixtures yet of who we are playing

Mine was a guess

Is the Italian team Watford?

I would LOVE teams like Atletico and AC Milan/Juventus to be the teams. Does anyone know how ticketing works for the pre-season home matches, if you're a ST holder do you go free or will your seat just be reserved to pay for, for a certain period or is it just first come first served regardless? Thanks

It is cheaper for ST holder I think not sure.

one problem malky is not on holiday he was in costa by the stadium on monday drinking no not coffee but tea

Whoever we get I probably won't go, unless it's an unmissable friendly (i.e either Madrid, Milan etc)