Football League Previews and Early Season Matches

The football season is kicking off with several leagues and teams preparing for their opening matches. In England's Championship, Sheffield United drew 0-0 with Birmingham City, while Queens Park Rangers secured an opening win against Portsmouth. Middlesbrough also started their campaign with a victory over Lincoln City, whose head coach acknowledged the defeat.

Across Europe, Bundesliga clubs Mainz 05 and Union Berlin engaged in pre-season friendlies against Premier League opposition. In Spain, La Liga is set to begin with Deportivo facing Elche CF on Monday. Meanwhile, Espanyol's sporting director, Monchi, highlighted the Championship as an overlooked source of talent. In Scotland, Rangers manager Derek McInnes indicated a need for financial investment despite recent European exit.