New signing, new kits and Atletico Madrid preview

Kitchee confirmed the signing of Spanish midfielder Aaron Rey from Spanish third tier side Cultural Leonesa. The twenty-six year old can play in the middle or on either flank, and was previously in the youth academy at Celta Vigo, featuring over thirty times for their B team before continuing his career in the second and third tiers of Spanish football. Some of Kitchee's summer departures found new homes; we will face Andy Russell next year as he turns out for HKFC, while Paulo Cesar dropped down a division to join Central and Western District. Sedin Ramic has returned to Radnik Hadzici in Bosnia. Last season's top scorer Mikael Severo has signed a contract with Emirates FC in the United Arab Emirates, who currently have Andres Iniesta on their books.

Credits to Kitchee

Now onto the Atletico Madrid friendly on the 7th August at Hong Kong Stadium. Tickets are still available through Cityline, $420 for adults and $120 for students, but there is no livestream or pay per view as it stands. Next seasons Kitchee home shirt will also be on sale at the game, with fans wanting the kit advised to get down to Hong Kong Stadium early.

Spanish giants Atletico Madrid need little introduction, finishing in the top four of La Liga every season since 2012 under Argentinian coach Diego Simeone, winning the league in 2014 and 2021, and often reaching the latter stages of the Champions League. They have had a host of world class players over the years, including short term Kitchee signing Diego Forlan, Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero, and former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez.

Credits to Kitchee

Veteran defensive midfielder Axel Witsel has won league titles in Belgium and Russia, and in 2018 played in Hong Kong for Tianjin against Kitchee in the Asian Champions League. Current Kitchee players Wang Zhenpeng and Fernando started for us that day, with retiring captain Huang Yang and recently appointed technical director Jordi Tarres also in the Kitchee squad, alongside Forlan. He is joined in midfield by Koke, a club legend with over 700 appearances at the club.

At the back, the experience of Uruguayan centre back Jose Maria Gimenez and versatile former Chelsea man Cesar Azpilicueta help Atletico form a solid defensive unit. Portuguese forward Joao Felix, who cost over £100 million in 2019, has just returned from a loan spell at Barcelona and it remains to be seen if he has a future at Atletico moving forward. Recent summer signing Alexander Sorlorth has linked up with the squad, but Antoine Griezmann and Jan Oblak did not travel. Chelsea and England midfielder Conor Gallagher has been heavily linked with a move in recent days, although it is unlikely he will feature, even if a move is completed.

With winners of major trophies at club and international level gracing Hong Kong Stadium, it will be an understandably tough test for Kitchee. The incompetence of the HKFA means that next season's fixtures are still not set in stone, but we expect it to be towards the end of August, just before the Hong Kong squad fly off to Fiji for two games. A preliminary squad was named this week, with ten Kitchee players selected in the forty-six- Tan Chun-lok, Helio, Law Tsz-chun, Poon Pui-hin, Cheng Chin-lung, Juninho, Ngan Cheuk-pan, Leon Jones, Sohgo Ichikawa and Jordan Lam.

Written by Adam O'Domhnaill

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