Wrexham will face off against a serial winner and former Champions League star in their contest against Sydney FC.
This summer, Wrexham have undergone a pre-season tour in Australia.
Opting against their usual trip to the USA, Wrexham have decided to test themselves in uncharted territory, facing off against a catalogue of A-League sides.
Wrexham kicked off their tour with a win against Melbourne Victory, where Ryan Hardie notably scored his first goal for the club.
Phil Parkinson expected more quality from his side in the contest, although he was relatively happy that his side managed to come away with the win, nonetheless.
However, a bigger challenge awaits Wrexham as they look set to face off against a former Champions League star who currently fashions his trade for Sydney FC.
Douglas Costa of Brazil
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Wrexham set to face former Brazil star Douglas Costa in pre-season clash
Sydney FC are set to provide a much more difficult task for Phil Parkinson’s side due to the quality they have in their ranks.
Looking at the Australian side’s squad, one well-known name in the squad is Douglas Costa, formerly of Juventus and Bayern Munich fame. He has also notched an impressive 31 caps for the Brazil national team.
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At the age of 34, Costa is without a doubt in the swan song of his career, but for a player who has won three Bundesliga and three Serie A titles, his prestige stands far ahead of anyone else in the Wrexham side.
Costa has notched a phenomenal 76 appearances in the Champions League, where his best finish came in reaching the semi-finals with Bayern Munich in the 2015/16 season before being dispatched by Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
Sydney FC Unveil Douglas Costa Player Signing
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Phil Parkinson will hand Wrexham backline a huge responsibility to defend Douglas Costa
It will prove to be an immense challenge for the Wrexham defence to deal with the threat posed by Douglas Costa in the friendly, but it will provide an incredible experience for those who will face off against him.
There is uncertainty as to where Costa will play in the tie due to his ability to play anywhere across the front three, but there is no doubt that Parkinson will be keen to see how Max Cleworth, in particular, fares against the Brazilian.
Wrexham are set to face a gigantic increase in quality following promotion to the Championship, and there is no better way to deal with that than facing off against a multi-league winner.