news-engine

AFC Bournemouth begin their 26/27 pre-season tour with a friendly against Bundesliga 2 side St Pauli at the Saalfelden Arena in the Austrian Alps on Friday, July 24 at 15:00 GMT. Marco Rose will have his first look at the Cherries squad ahead of an historic campaign for the club after securing Europa League Qualification last season. The fans will get a first glimpse of summer signing Alvaro Rodriguez following his £25.7M move from Spanish side Elche earlier this month. Bournemouth will then stay at the Saalfelden Arena for a fixture against Augsburg next Thursday before arriving back in Dorset to face Italian side Genoa in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Performance Centre on August 4th. The Premier League side finish pre-season with a trip to Spain to face Real Betis before heading to Germany for a match against Mainz eight days before the league opener against Man City on August 23. Lowdown on Opponents St Pauli St Pauli endured a disappointing 25/26 campaign, suffering relegation from the Bundesliga after picking up just six wins all season, ending a two-year spell in the German topflight. Following relegation, manager Alexander Blessin left the club, having helped maintain their Bundesliga status in 24/25 after succeeding Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler in 2024. St Pauli appointed Marcel Rapp in June, with the 47-year-old having previous experience in gaining promotion out of the German second Tier with Hosten Keil in 2024. Rapp’s six-year spell at Kiel ended in February after the club parted ways following an underwhelming 12th-place finish in the Bundesliga 2 last term. St Pauli have made three signings this summer, with both Marcus Mathsein and Branimir Hrgota arriving on free transfers from league rivals Magdeburg and Greuther Fürth, respectively. The club have also signed 22-year-old Sam Klein from A-League side Brisbane Roar for an undisclosed fee. This is the German side's final pre-season friendly ahead of their League opener against Fürth on August 9th, having won all four of their games. However, the Cherries will pose by far their sternest test. St Pauli Pre-Season Results Altona 93 2-6 St Pauli Kickers Emden 1-3 St Pauli Babelsberg 1-4 St Pauli St Pauli 2-1 HNK Gorica Player to watch - Ricky Jade Jones Embed from Getty Images A name previously linked to Bournemouth was Ricky Jade-Jones, who joined St Pauli from League One side Peterborough last summer. Jade-Jones shone in England, netting 43 goals across six seasons, including an 18-goal season in 24/25 which attracted interest from Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. The 23-year-old striker's first season in Germany was blighted by injuries, featuring just ten times, scoring twice as St Pauli were relegated. Jones will be keen to make up for lost time heading into the 26/27 season, and a pre-season friendly against Bournemouth will be a good level to judge where he is at. Where can I watch the game? Both of the Cherries' friendlies against St Pauli and Augsburg will be available to watch via AFCB TV for a fee of £5.