Baggies announce two fixtures on pre-season trip
ALBION will prepare for an unprecedented fourth successive season of Barclays Premier League football with an eight-day training trip to Austria.The Baggies will be based in Bad Waltersdorf and will play two friendlies.
Albion will meet top-flight German outfit Hannover 96 at the home of Austrian club FC Gleisdorf 09, in Styria, on Thursday, July 18 (ko 7pm local time).
The Baggies will also hop across the border to take on Hungarian team Puskas FC Academy at FC Sopron's stadium on Monday, July 22 (ko 6pm local time).
Sporting & Technical Director (Designate), Richard Garlick, said: “Last year we travelled a similar distance to Sweden and it proved the ideal preparation for our most successful ever Barclays Premier League campaign.
“The facilities in Austria meet the criteria we were looking for and provide a good base for our two fixtures.
“German football is at a high with two Bundesliga sides in the Champions League final and Hannover 96 will provide us with a real test.
“Puskas FC Academy are an emerging side in Hungary and we are delighted they have agreed to take us on ahead of the new season.”
Two-times German champions Hannover 96 finished the 2012/13 Bundesliga season in ninth place.
Puskas FC Academy this term clinched promotion to Hungary’s top flight by winning the NB2 (West) division with three games to spare.
Further information and full ticket details will be announced in the coming weeks here at www.wba.co.uk.