Derby County will stage two pre-season friendly matches at Pride Park Stadium in the lead-up to the start of the 2022/23 Sky Bet League One season.
Derby’s players will return for pre-season training next week and work has been ongoing to finalise their games schedule, which includes a pair of matches against top-level opposition.
The Rams will face German top-flight side Hertha Berlin at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday 16th July (4pm kick-off) in their first friendly on home turf.
The Bundesliga side, who have spent all but one season in the German top-flight since 1997, will be in England on a training camp as part of their own pre-season programme after they avoided relegation in the play-offs against Hamburger SV in May.
Managed by the recently-appointed Sandro Schwarz, they finished last season in 16th spot and in the bottom three on goal difference.
Their squad contains the likes of Belgium defender and ex-Celtic player Dedryck Boyata and Stevan Jovetic, previously of Manchester City and a Montenegro international, while ex-England youth international Jonjoe Kenny has linked up with the Old Lady this summer after leaving Everton.
Derby will then welcome Premier League side Leicester City to town on Saturday 23rd July (1pm kick-off) in what is set to be their final pre-season fixture ahead of the new campaign.
Leicester, managed by former Liverpool and Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, concluded the 2021/22 season with three wins and a draw to finish in eighth place in the top division and were also semi-finalists in the UEFA Conference League.
The Foxes’ squad contains many familiar names such as the likes of James Maddison, Jamie Vardy, Harvey Barnes, Kasper Schmeichel and Youri Tielemans.
Derby last welcomed their East Midlands neighbours to Pride Park in the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup in the 2016/17 season, with the tie finishing in a 2-2 draw.
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