Sunderland’s players have returned to training at the Academy of Light ahead of the 2024-25 season

Sunderland’s playing staff have returned to the Academy of Light for the first day of pre-season this week.

After the end of the 2023-24 Championship campaign, players were given time off to rest and recover after the final league game against Sheffield Wednesday at the beginning of May consigned Sunderland to a 16th-place Championship finish.

However, after enjoying their time off during the summer, Sunderland’s players have now returned to the club’s training ground under new head coach Régis Le Bris, who has now officially started work after he was appointed head coach earlier this month.

Sunderland’s stars were pictured in the gym on the club’s social media accounts with Le Bris’ playing squad undergoing tests to asses their conditioning ahead of pre-season. The Black Cats first-team were also shown undergoing their first fitness runs as the club looks to ease players back into first-team duties.

Sunderland face their opening two friendlies on the same day (July 13) against South Shields and Gateshead in a repeat of last year’s preparations under then-head coach Tony Mowbray. The Wearsiders then head to Spain where they will face Nottingham Forest on the 19th and and CD Eldense on the 21st.

Sunderland then return to the United Kingdom, where they will once again travel away from home to face Blackpool at Bloomfield Road (July 27) and Bradford City (July 30) at Valley Parade. Le Bris’ side will round off their pre-season preparations on the weekend of August 3 with the opponent yet to be confirmed.