Sunderland confirm details of special pre-season friendly and explain why it's not at the Stadium of Light

Sunderland have confirmed that they will face Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille in their final pre-season fixture.

The game will be dedicated to Chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ father Robert to mark the 15th anniversary of his passing. Robert Louis-Dreyfus was the majority shareholder of the club from 1996 to 2009, during which time they reached a UEFA Cup final and two Coupe de France finals.

Due to ongoing improvement works at the Stadium of Light, the game will be held at Bradford City’s Valley Parade. Kick off will be 3pm on Saturday, 3rd August.

Kyril Louis-Dreyfus said: “My earliest childhood memories are of Olympique Marseille and my love for football was born from my father’s association with the Club. Like Sunderland, Marseille is a city that lives and breathes football 24/7 and it will be a privilege to bring the two Clubs closest to my heart together to celebrate the life of my father. It is unfortunate that we can’t play at the Stadium of Light due to our ongoing developments and we appreciate Bradford City’s support in hosting the game, which I’m sure will also act as the strong test for our team ahead of the new season.” 

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said he hoped playing the game at Bradford would allow as many fan as possible to see the game.

“Although we are without a home venue until the start of the season due to our ongoing investment at the Stadium of Light, we wanted to play as close to the North East as possible to ensure our fans can support the team in our final pre-season fixture. We thank Ryan Sparks and the wider team at BCFC for hosting us and look forward to facing a high calibre of opposition in OM, who will provide the perfect challenge for our team heading into the new campaign, as we celebrate the life of Kyril’s father and the unique connection our two Clubs now share.” 

Marseille are now managed by former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.