Soccer is a sport that has many variations. One is the club friendlies, also known as friendly matches or as part of a build-up to a competitive season. While these matches aren’t as important as competitive play and are not counted when ranking teams, they are still vital to getting your team ready for the new season.
There are many reasons why teams play friendlies, from preparation for upcoming tournaments to giving the entire squad some time away from their professional responsibilities. But what exactly are club friendlies? And why do teams prefer them?
What are Club Friendlies?
Club Friendlies are exhibition matches played between professional football (soccer) teams during the off-season or pre-season. These games are not part of any official competition or league. They are played to allow the teams to prepare for the upcoming season, try out new players, and test their tactics and formations.
A team can develop chemistry through club friendlies, and players get game time. They are also an excellent way for teams to keep up with the competition and evaluate their talent level against other professional clubs.
Why Are Teams Playing Club Friendlies?
Pre-Season Preparation
Clubs often play friendlies during pre-season to get their players to match fitness and help them bond as a team. This can also be a great opportunity for clubs to look at potential signings or trades in the transfer window before things get busy during the season.
It’s also useful for young players looking to make their first-team debuts. Players who are out of favor but still want to keep themselves sharp in case they get another chance at playing with their club can also utilise the opportunity.
Maintaining Fitness and Match Practice During Breaks
Friendly matches allow teams to get some match practice without worrying about injuries at this point in the season. Teams need to have enough time off between competitions to recover properly, but if they have only one break between tournaments or leagues, they’ll often lose some key players due to fatigue.
By playing friendlies instead of training, teams will still benefit from getting match practice while maintaining their fitness levels.
Maintaining Team Chemistry
Friendlies are also an excellent opportunity for teams to maintain their team chemistry. The whole team will be together, away from home.
Friendly games allow the players to get used to each other’s personalities, making them more comfortable with each other when they get back on the pitch together. They may also have time together away from their families or friends so that everyone can bond even more closely for a few days!
Revenue Generation
Clubs can generate revenue and attract new sponsors by playing in friendly matches. As a result, they will receive more money than if they had played in a league match or cup match. The more successful the team becomes and receives sponsorship dollars, the more money they’ll earn from playing friendlies.
Club Friendlies are Worth it!
Hopefully, you learned something important today. The purpose of club friendlies is to help teams with their pre-season preparations. This can include sessions to create cohesion and build more team-wide chemistry before the start of the season. If you’ve ever considered organising a match in the leagues of your choice, this article has given you some useful advice and tips to follow when planning your friendly games.
