So who are Norwich City’s opening opponents of their Germany pre-season tour, MSV Duisburg?
It's no holiday for City's players out in Germany with several hard drills being put on. - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Norwich City's pre-season tour hits its straps with a first friendly against Bundesliga II side MSV Duisburg this evening – but who are the Canaries' opponents?
First things first, let's give them their full title: Meidericher Spielverein 02 e. V. Duisburg.
Now, Daniel Farke's side will be in for a test against a pretty sharp side. Duisburg's season officially starts in just 11 days time when they travel to SG Dynamo Dresden.
Before then they will also take on City's Championship rivals Aston Villa, but only for 45 minutes. Duisburg host the annual Schauinsland Reisen Cup, which this year sees Villa take on Duisburg for 45 minutes. The winners and losers of that half will then face the respective winners and losers of Malaga's clash with Hertha, which takes place an hour later. It all sounds like a top day of football.
Anyway, back to Duisburg. The club was originally founded the same year as Norwich City, in 1902 – and won one of the original members of the Bundesliga, when it was founded in the early 1960s.
In fact, their finest season remains their first in the newly founded division – finishing runners up to FC Koln in 1963-64.
However only three of the last 19 seasons have competed in the top flight of German football, and each was a single-season
• Follow Norwich City's friendly with MSV Duisburg here live
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The club's home kit resembles that of City's Championship rivals Reading, although rather counter-intuitively they are nicknamed Die Zebras – despite the stripes being blue.
Duisburg were actually promoted as 3. Liga champions last season – yet did not have a single player in the top 11 scorers in the division.
Duisburg are currently managed by former Bulgaria international midfielder Illiya Gruev, who's first job as top dog brought last season's promotion.
City kick-off against MSV Duisburg at Willi-Hafer Stadium at 6pm, and you can follow the game live here.
• For the latest Norwich City news and opinion follow Michael Bailey on Twitter @michaeljbailey, Facebook @mbjourno and Instagram @mrmichaeljbailey
