The U18s travel to Gibraltar ahead of an action-packed pre-season tour.
The club will travel to the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula as preparation takes a step forward ahead of the first game of their season on the August 8.
The group will be based in Los Barrios, where they will have both classroom and on-field sessions to continue the understanding of the club’s philosophy.
Across the week they will face demanding opposition from both senior and U19 squads to physically and mentally prepare themselves for the busy season that is just around the corner.
Monday and Tuesday will see the squad take on Glacis United and F.C. Magpies. Both clubs compete in the Gibraltar Football League, meaning they will provide a stern test against experienced senior opposition.
Their squads include a number of high-quality players, including several with former EFL experience, offering a valuable physical and technical challenge.
With no fixture scheduled for Wednesday, the group will have a morning training session and then travel just north of the border to watch Real Betis face Lyon in a pre-season friendly. Both clubs are expected to field players with extensive European and international experience, providing another excellent learning opportunity for the players.
Being invited as guests to watch two such prestigious clubs is a fantastic experience for the squad, giving them the chance to observe elite-level football up close. The invitation also reflects the strong relationship between the club and Real Betis, which has developed since the SMH Group Stadium hosted their pre-season fixture against Middlesbrough at the SMH Group Stadium in 2023.
The group will then be straight back into competitive football as the lads will face the tough challenge of facing Lincoln Red Imps U19s, a squad who have qualified for the UEFA Youth League with their senior side currently in the qualification rounds for the UEFA Champions League.
The feature game for the week however falls on the Friday with the lads travelling to Seville to take on Real Betis C, an academy that has regular youth internationals, two of which were in Spain’s U19 squad as they won the U19 UEFA Euro title earlier this month.
