Sunderland boss wants team out of 'comfort zone' ahead of Inter and Atalanta youth friendlies

Sunderland academy chief Robin Nicholls wants Sunderland’s young players to gather experiences outside of their “comfort zone”.

The Black Cats under-18s and under-21s are in Italy for pre-season and will face several important tests against good opposition ahead of the 2024-25 season while the first team are in Spain in Régis Le Bris.

“It's really good to be here,” Nicholls said of the tour. “We've been building up to the trip for a couple of weeks now, so in terms of actually getting here, it's been really positive. The weather's good, the boys are ready to go, so we're looking to a positive week of training and games.

“It'll be games throughout the whole period, so we're going to mix the squads in. We've got the four games spread across the seven days, so it's going to be a real hectic game schedule, which is fantastic.”

Sunderland’s under-21s will face friendlies against Hellas Verona’s youth team and Bologna's senior team.

Nicholls added: “Two big challenges and two great opportunities for the boys. I mean, the first game against Hellas will be very good. They're an opposition who have a good academy. I had some experience of playing against them before, who'll be strong, which is great, and then obviously moving on to play the belonging first team. So, an excellent challenge for the boys, an opportunity they obviously need to take and need to be challenged with.

Sunderland’s under-18s will face Atalanta and Inter’s under-18s.

“Another two great tests for them,” Nicholls added: “I mean, the year groups are a little bit different, so the Inter and Atalanta teams will be a little bit older than us, which again poses different challenges, which is fantastic. So, like you say, from going from signing their scholarships to playing against two of the big teams in Italy, it's fantastic for them.

“It's really just taking them outside their comfort zone, giving them a different challenge, weather, language, environment, style of play, culture, really giving them a different level of challenge to help them develop. The games are what they will be. They'll be a tool for them to develop. So we're really hoping for some solid play, some opportunities for them to grow and develop themselves.”