City's Three Pre-Season Opponents In Profile

Next Match | Friday 24 April Fri 24 Apr

MIL

(H)

01 D

12 H

31 M

53 S

Interviews & Features

Heritage

Photos

City's Three Pre-Season Opponents In Profile

As the new Premier League season draws closer, Leicester City’s preparations are soon to get underway, with three pre-season friendly fixtures arranged so far.

2021-07-03T15:32:00.000Z

City's Three Pre-Season Opponents In Profile

As the new Premier League season draws closer, Leicester City’s preparations are soon to get underway, with three pre-season friendly fixtures arranged so far.

2021-07-03T15:32:00.000Z

City's Three Pre-Season Opponents In Profile

As the new Premier League season draws closer, Leicester City’s preparations are soon to get underway, with three pre-season friendly fixtures arranged so far.

2021-07-03T15:32:00.000Z

City's Three Pre-Season Opponents In Profile

As the new Premier League season draws closer, Leicester City’s preparations are soon to get underway, with three pre-season friendly fixtures arranged so far.

2021-07-03T15:32:00.000Z

City's Three Pre-Season Opponents In Profile

As the new Premier League season draws closer, Leicester City’s preparations are soon to get underway, with three pre-season friendly fixtures arranged so far.

2021-07-03T15:32:00.000Z

The 2021/22 campaign begins on 14 August, 2021 as the Foxes welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to King Power Stadium on matchday one.

Before then, Brendan Rodgers’ side travel to tackle two Sky Bet League 1 opponents. First up, it's Burton Albion at Pirelli Stadium on Saturday 24 July (3pm kick-off), ahead of taking on Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park on Wednesday 28 July (7:30pm kick-off).

City’s pre-season groundworks continue with a trip to face Sky Bet Championship Queens Park Rangers at Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium on Saturday 31 July (3pm kick-off).

Here’s a look at each of the three teams in detail…

Burton Albion – Consolidated in League 1

Jake Buxton entered the season as manager but after a disappointing first half of the season, winning just one league game before 24 November, the new year brought a new manager and a return for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The Dutchman first led the club between 2014-15, guiding the Brewers to promotion from League 2 and then left with Albion sitting top of the third tier. This time around, rescuing the club from relegation was on the agenda, with Burton rooted to the bottom of the table upon his arrival.

Former Chelsea and Leeds United forward Hasselbaink brought in a host of new players, primarily on loan, during the January transfer window and the upturn in form was remarkable.

Over 75 per cent of Burton’s total points were gained in 2021, including a six-game winning streak during a memorable run between February to March, after also beating eventual champions Hull City and promoted side Peterborough United.

Kane Hemmings was the star in attack, scoring 15 times in the league, while Joe Powell's six goals and nine assists from midfield proved vital contributions, as did Lucas Atkins' nine strikes from the wing.

Albion also stopped leaking goals with on loan centre-back Hayden Carter arriving on loan from Blackburn Rovers and eventually winning the club’s Player of the Season award, despite only joining midway through the campaign.

Confirming survival with three games to spare, Burton eventually finished in 16th position with 57 points, 10 ahead of the final relegation spot.

This summer, the Brewers have already welcomed nine new arrivals, including eight free transfers, one of which is former Manchester United full-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson following his departure from Oldham Athletic.

Two further left-backs, Frazer Blake-Tracy and Thomas O’Connor also arrive at Pirelli Stadium, alongside ex-Charlton Athletic centre-back Adedeji Oshilaja and midfielders Bryn Morris and Conor Shaughnessy.

In attack, Omari Patrick and Louis Moult have joined the club, the latter from Preston North End, while 21-year-old goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe is in on loan from Brentford.

Meanwhile, 12 players have departed, such as experienced former Premier League and Championship players Stephen Quinn, Neal Eardley and Luke Varney.

Wycombe Wanderers – Returning to the third tier

The 2020/21 season was a historic one for Wycombe Wanderers, as they entered their first-ever campaign in the second tier of English football.

A club that was playing in non-league at the beginning of the 1990s, they had already defied the odds by reaching the Championship. Although it would ultimately end in relegation, Gareth Ainsworth’s side gave an excellent account of themselves.

Versatile defender Josh Knight and forward Admiral Muskwe, both on loan from Leicester, became vital members of the starting XI, the latter scoring three goals in his 17 Championship appearances after joining in January. Knight, meanwhile, played 37 games across his season-long loan, netting once.

Leading marksman Uche Ikpeazu scored six times in the league and supplied four assists, while Scott Kashket, Gareth McCleary and Joe Jacobsen all found the net on four occasions across 2020/21. Set-piece specialist Jacobsen also led the assists charts with six to his name.

Recovering from an early baptism of fire, losing their first seven games as they adjusted to the division after gaining promotion via the League 1 play-offs, the Chairboys began to pick up more positive results in 2021.

But even six wins from their final 11 fixtures, including beating Middlesbrough 3-0 away from home on the final day, following victory over play-off hopefuls AFC Bournemouth, was not quite enough to survive, with Wanderers falling one short of the 44 points needed to remain in the Championship.

Wycombe have so far brought 28-year-old Sunderland midfielder Josh Scowen to the club on a free transfer, while Fred Onyedinma joined Luton Town and centre-back Darius Charles and goalkeeper Ryan Allsop are among the other names to leave Adams Park this summer.

Further arrivals are expected before the start of the new campaign, as Wycombe will no doubt look for an immediate return to the second tier after getting their first taste of Championship football.

Queens Park Rangers – On the rise under Mark Warburton

Since relegation from the Premier League in 2015, Queens Park Rangers experienced five mid-table seasons in the Championship, finishing no higher than 12th, and as low as 19th in 2018/19.

And it was once again a frustrating start in 2020/21, although form picked up from the New Year onwards. February was particularly fruitful, involving four wins on the bounce, two of those coming against soon-to-be promoted sides in Watford and London rivals Brentford.

Manager Mark Warburton, who took Brentford close to promotion during his time with the Bees, has created a winning formula that has gelled together a blend of experience and youth within Rangers’ ranks.

Winning six of their final nine matches, QPR finished ninth in the Championship standings, on 68 points, nine short of what was required for a top six spot, but there will be plenty of encouragement among the supporters of where this team could go next season.

The west London club’s biggest win of the campaign arrived during that streak, beating Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 at home courtesy of a brace from Scotland international forward Lyndon Dykes, with midfielders Chris Willock and Stefan Johansen also on the scoresheet.

Dykes was top goalscorer with 12 league strikes, backed up by a midfield goal contribution from Ilias Chair, who ended the campaign having played in all but one of Rangers’ Championship fixtures, finding the net eight times.

Assists also came from similar positions, with Dykes setting up five goals for his team-mates, as did Albert Adomah and Willock, while Chair created four goals. In defence, 27-year-old French centre-half Yoann Barbet was a rock at the back, featuring in every league game.

They will be hoping to build on the momentum from that late season form and have already made moves in the transfer market. Young midfielders Andre Dozzell and Sam Field arrive from Ipswich Town and West Bromwich Albion respectively, while Jordy de Wijs, on loan from promoted Hull City since January, also joins permanently.

Another man making his temporary deal permanent is Charlie Austin, a firm fans favourite at Loftus Road, resuming his second spell with the club after netting seven times while on loan from West Bromwich Albion in 2020/21.

All times BST.

LATEST HEADLINES

Chairman Statement: Leicester City Relegated To League One Following confirmation of Leicester City’s relegation to League One, Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has issued the following statement:

21 Apr, 2026

Foxes Relegated To League One After Hull Draw We have been relegated to Sky Bet League One following Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw with Hull City at King Power Stadium.

21 Apr, 2026

Team News: Leicester City vs. Hull City Gary Rowett has named his Leicester City side for tonight's encounter with Hull City in the Sky Bet Championship.

21 Apr, 2026

Fan Zone Open Ahead Of Millwall Game Our Fan Zone will be open on Friday night ahead of our Sky Bet Championship fixture against Millwall at King Power Stadium.

21 Apr, 2026

LATEST PHOTOS

Leicester City 2 Hull City 2

21 Apr, 2026

Hull Preparations In Seagrave A look at Monday's training session at LCFC Training Ground as our encounter with Hull City nears.

20 Apr, 2026

Portsmouth 1 Leicester City 0 Match imagery from our Sky Bet Championship clash with Pompey on the South Coast.

18 Apr, 2026

City's Pompey Preparations In Focus Imagery from Seagrave as the Foxes prepare for the trip to Portsmouth in the Sky Bet Championship this weekend.

16 Apr, 2026