Cardiff City took an absolute gut punch, falling 0-6 to Midtjylland in their opening pre-season game, and if that doesn’t scream “turbulent season ahead,” I don’t know what does. This brutal thrashing came as the Bluebirds kicked off preparations for their return to the Championship, a division that is now set to host three Welsh clubs for the first time since the 1980-81 season. Brian Barry-Murphy even rotated his entire squad between halves, but nothing could stop the Danish side from running wild.
The Championship Is About To Get Even Spicier
Cardiff’s promotion from League One last season means they’re back in the mix, and it definitely raises the stakes for the upcoming campaign. They’re not alone, either. Wrexham, fresh off their run of three successive promotions ending last season, wrapped up May in seventh place. This time around, they’re gunning for the play-offs, especially with the new format sending teams finishing third to eighth into the postseason. That’s a huge shift and could make every game down the stretch epic. Swansea City is also eyeing a top-eight finish, looking to keep the momentum rolling under Vitor Matos. Matos took over after Alan Sheehan was dismissed last November, and he steered them away from what looked like a definite relegation scrap early on, leading them to a commendable 11th-place finish. Imagine going from fighting relegation to challenging for the play-offs: that’s the kind of turnaround that gets fans hyped.
Newport’s Tough Road and Early Pre-Season Shots
Meanwhile, Newport County just wants to avoid another dogfight to stay in the EFL. Last season was rough for the Exiles, needing the final day to secure their status. And talk about bad luck: their plans for progress are already hit with a managerial change, as Christian Fuchs has bounced. They’ve had a mixed bag in early pre-season, though. They kicked things off strong with a 0-3 win over Bristol Manor Farm on July 4th, with Lewis Jamieson bagging two goals and Wales international Matt Smith also scoring. Then, on July 8th, they crushed Newport City 0-5, thanks to a second-half hat-trick from Shaquille Gwengwe, plus goals from Yahya Bamba and Cole Jarvis. But then, on July 11th, they hit a snag, losing 2-1 to Gloucester City despite Lee Jenkins putting them ahead early. Wrexham also got their pre-season started on July 11th, drawing 0-0 with Wisla Krakow in Poland, with Arthur Okonkwo making a clutch second-half penalty save.
The Carabao Cup kicks off the competitive action the weekend before the new league campaigns start in mid-August. You’ve got Cardiff, Swansea, and Wrexham hitting the road for some pre-season tune-ups, while Italian giants Roma and Spanish side Leganes are even making the trip to Wales for some of these warm-up matches. It’s gonna be a wild ride when the season officially starts, no doubt.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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