BLACKBURN Rovers' pre-season preparations are beginning to take shape with manager Mark Hughes set to take his players on a second training break to Holland and Germany.

Hughes and his squad were already scheduled to spend 10 days in Germany at the end of July, where they have organised friendlies against the Greek side Olympiakos and Hamburg of the Bundesliga.

Now the Rovers boss has added a second short trip to the itinerary, between August 4 and 10, when Rovers will play matches against the German side Alemannia Aachen and the Dutch team Sparta Rotterdam.

That means Rovers have now got six first team friendlies confirmed before the Premiership kicks off on August 19, starting with Accrington Stanley at the Fraser Eagle Stadium on Wednesday, July 19 and culminating with the New Zealand national team at Ewood on Saturday, August 12.

In between, Rovers face Olympiakos on Sunday, July 23, and Hamburg on Friday, July 28 as part of their German tour. The venues for those games have still to be announced.

The match with Alemannia Aachen on Saturday, August 5 (kick off 6pm) is due to take place in the Stadion Tivoli, while the Sparta Rotterdam game is scheduled for the Sparta Stadion on Wednesday, August 9 (kick-off 8pm).