While we thought all of Newcastle United's pre-season friendlies were arranged, the club have dropped another fixture announcement today.
The Magpies have a trip to Celtic coming up before they jet off to Singapore and South Korea before returning home for the Sela Cup.
And while we thought that the pre-season fixtures were all sewn up and set in stone, today has seen the club announce another home tie which will slot in before the Sela Cup game against Atletico Madrid.
Newcastle are preparing for a season in the Champions League again and, as such, are trying to get some practice in against quality sides who can give them a challenge before the season gets underway.
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Newcastle will take on RCD Espanyol the night before the Sela Cup
Newcastle have announced a friendly at St James' Park against RCD Espanyol at St James' on Friday, 8th August - Kick-off will be at 7:30pm.
It probably hasn't escaped your notice that this fixture will be played the night before the Magpies play Atletico Madrid in the Sela Cup on Saturday 9th.
This fixture isn't being billed as part of a Sela Weekender, as in previous seasons, but it may eventually fall under that umbrella as they integrate the fixture into the existing schedule.
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Espanyol will be Newcastle's first St James' Park opponents this summer
The club announced the new fixture this afternoon via their official site, and they state the Champions League as a key factor in their decision to add an additional fixture to their pre-season schedule.
"As we prepare for the demands of both domestic and Champions League football, it's vital that we get the full squad up to speed. That's why we've added this extra friendly - we want Eddie Howe's team fighting fit for our opening Premier League clash against Aston Villa, before we host last season's champions Liverpool at St. James' Park the following weekend.
"This additional fixture also gives more fans the chance to see the team in action before the 2025/26 season kicks off.
"Espanyol, who are celebrating their 125th anniversary, will be another fitting opponent as we continue our preparations for a much-anticipated return to European football.
"The Friday night match sets the tone for a brilliant weekend of football, with both our men's and women's teams facing Atlético Madrid in the Sela Cup the following day."