Chris Davies says Blues will be treating Saturday’s season opener at Swansea City as if it’s a Championship game.
The campaign gets underway with the unusual requirement of a first round Carabao Cup tie.
But its importance won’t lessen for Davies, who slightly amended Blues pre-season programme to take the fixture scheduling into account.
Blues begin in the Championship a week later, at Sheffield United.
“I am treating it like another Championship game at the start of the season,” said the manager.
“You have got a decision to make way back . . . typically a pre-season is six weeks, so, do you take five weeks into the Swansea game and then the final week is into Sheffield United, which is your six weeks.
“Some teams have taken that approach. I have gone for the seven-week pre-season. That’s six weeks, which I see as a minimum pre-season amount but an optimum time, which takes us to Swansea. And the next week is to Sheffield.
“Because it’s against a Championship team, in my head it’s a Championship game. And we’re into it (the season), then.”
Blues have had a good series of warm-up matches, winning five public games before the 1-1 draw against Barcelona in the final, prestige friendly.
That was a high in which to sign-off preparations.
Davies: “It was a good game, great night. Couldn’t have been any better. I did caveat that with we were ahead of them fitness-wise, so I’m not saying we’re better than Barcelona or anything like that.
“But there were a lot of positives in there, the way we approached it. I liked the look of the team and I’ve liked the look of it all pre-season actually. And we got results, which breeds confidence.”
Blues do have injury concerns to contend with. Paik Seung-ho, Demarai Gray and Dael Fry are likely to be unavailable. Marvin Ducksch is out, as are longer-term absentees Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Marc Leonard.
Swansea have been active in the transfer market, spending around £15 million in total with New Zealand’s World Cup star Elijah Just their headline capture, for £5 million from Motherwell.
On Thursday, they snapped up Scotland international striker Ross Stewart on a free transfer after his departure from Southampton.
Stewart’s arrival served to throw further doubt on the future of last season’s Championship goal king Zan Vipotnik, who plundered 25 goals all told.
He missed three of Swansea’s pre-season friendlies and only came on for 16 minutes in their last outing, a 1-0 victory over Leganes last weekend.
Swans lost another of their key players, midfielder Ethan Galbraith, who moved to Stoke City for £10 million.
“I think Swansea were good when we played them last year,” said Davies, of the side that finished one place below Blues in 11th in 2025/26.
“Typical Swansea: 4-3-3, very technical, dynamic, quick wingers, quick counter-pressing when they lose the ball. I think the coach has done a really good job in restoring that identity they pride themselves on.
“I am expecting a game where we are going to have to be really good in our press if we are going to unsettle them.
“But they are going to get control of the ball, that’s what they do well. So, yes, we have to make sure we are a threat when we have the ball.
“We had a good game against them in January when we drew 1-1. They had the first-half pretty much under control. Second-half we grew into it and finished quite strong as well, with an equaliser.
“A good team, a tricky game, but as good a game for us to start with also.”
