Norwich City will play recently-relegated Dynamo Dresden in a friendly fixture at 3pm (UK time) today.
The Canaries continue to step up their preparations for the Championship campaign with the challenge of Dresden - a side hoping to rebuild following their demotion.
With a 32,500-seater stadium and huge expectations, City’s opponents shouldn’t be facing another campaign in the third tier of Germany, but a failure to capitalise on an opportunity post-lockdown saw them suffer relegation.
Dresden were one of the dominant sides in East Germany prior to the countries becoming a single country, but have fallen all the way to the fourth tier and haven’t managed a return.
Dresden were then one of a few Eastern sides incorporated into the German football system, along with Hansa Rostock, Energie Cottbus and Union Berlin.
Last season, they fell five points short of survival, though Moussa Kone was the danger man, becoming the club’s top scorer for the second season running. Kone was signed by French top-flight side Nimes Olympique in January.
Dresden were a high-profile example of the struggles of professional football returning after the coronavirus-enforced suspension in May - after two of their players contracted the virus and the whole team was forced to self-isolate.
They were criticised further following confirmation of their relegation after thousands of fans congregated at the stadium to express their frustration, and they were joined by the players.
Markus Kauczinski, former St Pauli and Karlsruher coach, is in charge at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. Dynamo Dresden’s boss, along with the club’s sporting director Ralf Minge, has overseen an overhaul of the squad. Dresden have signed 13 players this window with the latest Paul Will, expected to feature today.
Stuart Webber will be reunited with Chris Lowe - who he signed for Huddersfield in 2016 when he was head of football operations.
Dynamo Dresden have played two friendlies, both of which ended in defeat. They began their pre-season with against top-flight Union Berlin, losing 2-0, and lost 1-0 to Onel Hernandez’s former side Eintracht Braunschweig.
The game against City will be their last warm-up game before their first competitive fixture in the DFB-Pokal against Hamburger SV next month.
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