Toulouse FC will host German club Hamburg SV on Saturday, August 15, in their fifth and final summer friendly match at the Stadium municipal. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. local time in Toulouse and will be broadcast live on Ligue 1+.
The fixture comes exactly one week before Toulouse FC resumes action in Ligue 1. Attendance in the stands is expected to be sparse for the final tuneup match.
Toulouse FC manager Jens Berthel Askou is seeking a rebound after his squad suffered a 0-4 defeat against Spanish club Elche a few days earlier. The home team faces Hamburg SV, who finished 13th in the Bundesliga last season.
Preseason Form and German Opposition
Before the heavy loss to Elche, Toulouse FC compiled a solid preseason run. The French club recorded a 1-1 draw against Rodez, a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad, and a 1-0 win against Al Ain. Forward Julian Vignolo showed strong form in the win over Real Sociedad and is expected to feature in Saturday evening's match.
Toulouse FC aims to break a poor streak of results against German opponents. During last summer's preseason, the French club suffered a 0-7 loss against RB Leipzig and a 0-6 defeat against VfB Stuttgart. Hamburg SV also enters the fixture after their goalkeeper made a costly error that led to an unusual goal in a recent match.
Saturday's fixture continues a tradition of summer gala matches introduced after Toulouse FC earned promotion back to the top tier in 2022. In 2023, Toulouse secured a 2-1 victory over Jose Mourinho's Roma side with goals from Thijs Dallinga and Yanis Begraoui. Subsequent gala games included a 0-2 loss to Real Valladolid and a 1-1 draw against Sevilla FC last year following a late equalizer by Santiago Hidalgo.
Squad Changes and Transfer Activity
Toulouse FC will wear their new away kit for the match against Hamburg SV. The club previously unveiled the uniform in a promotional video featuring stuntwoman Lilou Ruel performing a 4,000-meter skydiving jump.
The match occurs alongside several transfer developments surrounding the squad. Toulouse FC is demanding 40 million euros for young prospect Dayann Methalie as multiple clubs pursue his signature. Additionally, 18-year-old Swedish winger Sion Oppong has joined the team, while defender Charlie Cresswell left Toulouse to sign with Rennes for a substantial transfer fee. Former Toulouse striker Cédric Fauré also featured in club media after returning to his native region.
