Oxford United’s Under 19s head to Italy this weekend, on a two-week tour in preparation for the upcoming season.
The tour will see four teams from the EFL visiting Italy on a cultural and footballing exchange trip funded by the ‘League Football Education Organisation’ (LFE).
The scholars completed a pre-seasonrun up Shotover Hill today, a traditional fitness activity for the club’s players since the 1960s, ensuring that they will be in fine shape ahead of their tour.
An outing against Parma will help increase match fitness for the Yellows, who have already made positive strides towards the start of the campaign, with a 6-3 friendly victory over Aston Villa’s youth team last Saturday.
Strengthening the team’s cohesion is another aim for Coach Chris Hackett, in addition to building on the foundations that have already been built in the early stages of pre-season.
“There will be a full games programme against top European teams, as well as a social and cultural programme” Chris told us.
The young U’s will be straight into Youth Alliance League action on their return from Italy, looking to improve on their solid fourth-placed finish from last season, although the first two games of the season will be rearranged due to the trip to Italy.
The trip begins Sunday 31st July, and the young U’s return to Oxford on August 12th.