PRE-SEASON PREVIEW | Charlton v Gaz Metan Mediaș

Charlton get their pre-season campaign under way with a 70-minute friendly game against Romanian Liga 1 side Gaz Metan Mediaș at the Addicks’ pre-season training camp in Malaga on Thursday evening (6pm BST). 

The behind-closed-doors match will allow Lee Bowyer’s men to get their first match minutes of the summer with new boys Chuks Aneke and Tom Lockyer set to make their first ever appearances for the club. 

However, fellow summer signing Macauley Bonne is unavailable with the striker having travelled back to the UK for 24 hours to attend the funeral of his former Leyton Orient boss, Justin Edinburgh. 

With 35 minutes each half, Bowyer will carefully manage the game time of his players after a tough week of training in the sweltering heat of Spain, while their Romanian top-flight opponents come into the game having already secured some pre-season action under their belts. 

Mediaș secured a 3-0 win over Spanish fourth-tier outfit Algeciras on June 26th, before sharing a goalless draw with Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock four days later. That was followed by a 2-0 win over Gibraltarian team Lincoln Red Imps on Tuesday. 

The 2018/19 campaign saw Mediaș finish 11th in their 14-team league, but finished the season top of the eight-team ‘relegation round’ table after the league had split, safely securing their place in the league and an overall finish of eighth.

Meanwhile, with the reveal of the Addicks’ home, away and third kits not set until mid-July, the side will wear a temporary training strip for Thursday’s friendly match in Spain. 

Supporters will be able to follow the action across the club’s usual official social media channels, with highlights available to watch on Valley Pass later on Thursday night. 

As well as highlights from the match, fans can see behind-the-scenes video diaries from throughout the week in Spain, as well as a number of interviews, including reaction from Lee Bowyer following Thursday night's friendly.

Valley Pass costs just £6.50 per month and you can sign-up here.

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