Once again, it’s time for Norwich City’s dress rehearsal to conclude pre-season.
The Canaries face Greek giants Olympiacos this afternoon in their final friendly – or ‘test’, as David Wagner prefers them called – of the summer, before Hull City visit Carrow Road next Saturday.
Norwich return to their home for the first time in seven weeks for the warm-up fixture, with Ashley Barnes, Jack Stacey, Shane Duffy and Christian Fassnacht set to play in front of their new home fans for the first time.
The weight of expectation undoubtedly present on August 5 won’t be there, but supporters will be hoping for signs of change after a 1-0 loss to relegated Blackpool was their last trip to NR1.
Turning things around against a strong Olympiacos side won’t be easy, however. They finished third in the Greek Super League last season and have backed that up with some impressive pre-season results.
They beat 2022 Scottish Cup champions Glasgow Rangers 3-1 in the first leg of their British tour on Wednesday, just 10 days before their domestic season kicks off against St. Johnstone.
Similarly to their hosts today, they’ve spent very little on transfer fees, but have secured four experienced arrivals. They include 35-year-old Spanish defensive midfielder Vicente Iborra from Villareal, 33-year-old right-back Quini from Granada, and Pumas’ 29-year-old centre-back Nicolas Freire on loan.
Nevertheless their squad looks somewhat different to how it did at the end of last term, with 16 players returning to the club after their loans expired. One player who’s gone the other way is former Canary Sergi Canos, whose time in Greece came to end when his own loan expired in June.
Wagner has an almost entirely fit squad to choose from, although Jacob Sorensen has been struggling with a groin issue in recent fixtures. Long-term absentees Grant Hanley and Borja Sainz remain unavailable.
The last time City faced a Greek side, Bradley Johnson’s double defeated Panathinaikos 2-0 in 2013. They’ll be hoping to repeat the trick this afternoon, but with different results in the ensuing season.
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