Ergometrical and medical tests will begin on 21 June with players splitting into groups. The first training session will be held on Wednesday (22.06) in the evening at Nea Mesimvria and it will be closed for fans and media.

Those wishing to get a first taste of PAOK 2016-17 and watch the newcomers up close, they need to wait until Friday 24 June, when they will be able to attend the evening training session in Toumba Stadium.

There will be some absentees from that session. Alexandros Tziolis, Giorgos Tzavellas and Garry Rodrigues will be on leave, as they were on international duty after the play-offs. They will return to Thessaloniki before the squad leaves for Oosterbeek in the Netherlands, where PAOK will conduct their main preseason stage from 4 to 18 July. As for Ergys Kace and Róbert Mak, they are in the UEFA EURO 2016 finals and their return depends on Albania’s and Slovakia’s trajectory in the tournament.

First three friendly games

During their stay in the Netherlands, PAOK will play four friendlies. The first one is against Silvolde SC, on 6 July at 19:00 (Greek time) in the installations of Oosterbeek, where the “Double-Headed Eagle” will hold their trainings.

The degree of difficulty will then rise for Vladan Ivić’s troops. On 9 July, they will face Belgian champions Club Brugge KV who are preparing for their UEFA Champions League group stage participation. The match will kick off at 19:00 in the Garderen ground.

Four days later, on 13 July at 20:00 (Greek time), in Apeldoorn, PAOK will test themselves against Steaua București who lost the Romania league title to FC Astra Giurgiu this season. Just like PAOK, Steaua are also participating in the UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round.

The fourth and last friendly encounter to be played by PAOK during their stay in the Netherlands will be announced shortly.

Two more friendlies

PAOK will return to Thessaloniki on 18 July and they will play another friendly game before their UEFA Champions League 3rd round qualifier. Apollon Limassol FC will be their guest in Toumba Stadium on 21 July.

After the first two official friendlies and before the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League play-offs, PAOK will face Atromitos in Peristeri on 10 August.