This preseason match will be Stoke City's sixth, serving as a friendly in preparation for the 24-25 season. With four wins and one loss in their last five matches, they have had an impressive preseason so far.
Now, they will face one of the strongest European rivals, as AZ Alkmaar is one of the top teams in the Netherlands, presenting a significant challenge.
READ MORE: Stoke City's Schedule for August
A Fascinating Preseason Clash
This will be the first-ever meeting between these two teams. On August 3, they will compete in this friendly to gauge their form before starting their respective seasons. Analyzing AZ Alkmaar, we see that they have played around six preseason matches without suffering a defeat.
They have won four games and drawn two, with the draws coming against highly competitive teams from Europe’s top five leagues. Their most recent match was on July 31 against Le Havre, a Ligue 1 team, and their penultimate draw was on July 27 against Atalanta, which ended 2-2 in an exciting game.
All smiles in ST4 📸 pic.twitter.com/DhFGMAhx2q
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 1, 2024
For Stoke City, their last preseason match was against Bolton on July 30, where they secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Million Manhoef, marking a fantastic win for the team.
In August, this will be the first match for both clubs as they are nearing the start of their respective leagues. Stoke City will kick off the EFL Championship on August 17 against Watford FC, while AZ Alkmaar will begin the Eredivisie on August 10 against Almere City. Both teams are preparing thoroughly to give their best in the upcoming competitions.