Pre-season training | Week three round-up

26th July 2025

Although the third week of pre-season started out in Portugal, the players were soon back to Compton as training cooled down after an intense week in the sun.

Having spent the best part of 10 days training in the boiling hot Portuguese sun, Vitor Pereira and his first-team squad are now back in their usual Wolverhampton surroundings as they prepare for the second part of their pre-season schedule and a trip to Spain next week.

But wolves.co.uk has rounded up everything that has been going on around the training ground as well as during the closing days of their warm weather camp in the Algarve during the third week of pre-season.

Saturday 19th July

It was matchday number two on Saturday as Pereira’s team prepared for their second and final pre-season warm-up matches out at their Algarve training centre – and fellow Premier League side Burnley were the opponents. It was back to 45-minute halves for the first time this season after the opening training match in Portugal against CD Santa Clara was a 70-minute game.

The match ended 1-1 with Jorgen Strand Larsen opening his tally for the season in another game which the Old Gold shaded. In the first-half, Wolves took the lead thanks to a Ki-Jana Hoever assist for the big Norwegian as the wing-back motored down the right before fizzing a low cross for Strand Larsen to turn home.

Pereira changed the majority of his starting 11 on the hour mark, but shortly after those changes, Burnley pulled level with Quilindschy Hardman getting free at the back post to set up Jacob Bruun Larsen to convert for the Clarets, and neither side were able to find the net in the closing stages.

There wasn’t much time for recovery after the match as the players were soon back on the plane and flying home to the West Midlands as their warm weather training camp was brought to an end.

#Summer2025

Tuesday 22nd July

Following the intense training schedule out in Portugal and two weeks of constant work, the players were given their first break of pre-season to start the week.

Both Sunday and Monday were days off to give the players time to recover from their exploits on Saturday lunchtime against Burnley, before returning to Compton on Tuesday.

With Periera lightening the load a bit before the final two weeks sees the intensity ramp up once again ahead of the opening Premier League match at home to Manchester City, the players were given just one training session a day during week three of pre-season.

But there was still no let off in intensity when the players were on the pitch, as the humid conditions of Compton posed a decent test of the players.

Wednesday 23rd July

It was back to a normal day of training for Pereira’s players on Wednesday as they were in bright and early for their 2025/26 preparations.

Marshall Munetsi shared his thoughts on pre-season so far in the latest episode of Wolves Express, which also featured interviews with head coach Pereira and defender Alfie Pond.

There was also a return for Rodrigo Gomes and Hugo Bueno this week after the pair had been given an extended break having played for Portugal and Spain respectively at the recent European under-21 championships out in Slovakia.

Having reached the quarter-finals with their countries, the wing-backs were straight back into the thick of things in gold and black this week as they compete for a place in the starting 11 this season.

Thursday 24th July

Training went off as normal on Thursday morning, but after lunch, representatives of the FA paid a visit to the training ground where they gave their annual update to the players regarding rule changes and any other issues or queries that could have an impact ahead of the new season.

But away from Compton and over in Paris, the second new addition of the summer was announced as Jhon Arias officially became a Wolves player. The Colombian international was granted his work permit and makes the move to Molineux from Fluminense. 

On Thursday evening, supporters got their first glimpse of the brand new 2025/26 SUDU away kit, which is set to go on sale from 9am on Friday morning.

The striking turquoise away kit includes a debossed geometric wolf head print in the fabric, inspired by the geometric lines of Molineux, allowing the team to take a piece of home to every away ground this season.

Friday 18th July

Another Friday means another pre-match schedule. With the players set to face off against Stoke City in the first official pre-season friendly of the year, the players were in for just one session on Friday morning to not overexert themselves before a match.

As is usual the day before a game, the session was more focused on tactics and set-pieces specific to what they will be facing from – and how to get the better of – their opponents at the weekend.

However, in a change from the norm, the day before a match would usually see the squad get on a coach after lunch and go straight to the team hotel where they enjoy downtime as well as a bit of treatment to get them in the best possible shape for the on-pitch action.

But with the Bet365 Stadium just a short journey up the M6, the players were able to go home after training and spend the evening with their families.

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"My kids were brought up here and my first was born during the first pre-season when Nuno arrived, so it’s all I’ve known really."

Matt Doherty