Estoril Praia vs Sheffield United live stream and highlights details for pre-season clash

Sheffield United are now stepping up their preparations for the new season as we move into the busy end of the summer.

The Blades have enjoyed a successful start to pre-season, winning their only game so far, although it is not about the results at this stage. While Paul Heckingbottom will have been more concerned with fitness, United managed to see off Chesterfield in their summer opener. The Blades have since travelled to Portugal, where they will face Estoril Praia ahead of returning to British soil for the remainder of their summer games.

Here we round up all you need to know about the clash with Estoril Praia.

When is Estoril Praia vs Sheffield United?

Estoril Praia vs Sheffield United will take place on Wednesday, July 7.

The fixture is being held at Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, in Estoril, and kick-off is at 7.30pm.

Is it on TV?

This game is not on TV, but fans can still tune in via the club’s SUTV platform.

It is not free, however, with the Blades offering a pre-season package costing £30. That will allow you not only to watch this game but the remaining pre-season fixtures.

Highlights details

Highlights of this fixture will be available on United’s YouTube page.

Bitesize highlights will likely be posted on the club’s official channel some time on Thursday.

What has Paul Heckingbottom said?

We haven’t heard a lot from the United boss on pre-season preparations this summer, which is not a surprise given the lack of friendly action so far.

But in an address in early July, Heckingbottom said: “It’s the time of year for that [integration], whether it’s new players or staff. You want everyone to feel a part of it come that first game and when the whistle blows. So it’s a big part of what pre-season is. Yes, it’s about getting fit and trying to get the information across to new players and members of staff, so they can hit the ground running. But it’s also about integrating them and making them part of the team as well.

“I don’t think we’ve got half the players back yet, we’ve had three different stages coming back because a lot of people have done different things during the summer as well. Come next Monday, the 10th, everyone will be back in and it’ll be good to see where we are. It’ll be about adding to that squad and getting to work for the first game against Palace.”

Since then, all of the players have returned to pre-season training, including the internationals, and we should see more key stars involved in the clash with Estoril Praia. Although, it’s worth keeping in mind that this will be the first run-out of the summer for some players, meaning it will likely be more of a fitness test, and significant rotations are expected.

Sheffield United’s pre-season schedule

The Blades’ pre-season schedule in full is as follows:

July 19 - Estoril Praia (Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, Portugal)

July 25 - Rotherham United (New York Stadium)

July 26 - Girona (TBC)

July 29 - Derby County (Pride Park)

August 5 - Stuttgart (Bramall Lane)