Monday 28 July 2014 17:48, UK
Wigan have cancelled their upcoming pre-season friendly with German side SC Wiedenbruck in a bid to prevent injuries ahead of the new season.
The match was due to take place this Tuesday and was Wigan's second game of a three-match tour of Germany, with the other fixtures coming against Fortuna Dusseldorf and SC Paderborn.
Latics have cancelled this clash, though, to prevent any injuries to key players ahead of their season opener against Reading in less than a fortnight's time.
Manager Uwe Rosler told the Sky Bet Championship club's official website: "We came to the decision because the match, I feel, will stretch the squad too much.
"The plan was to rotate the players for the second match and allow the whole squad to get an equal amount of match minutes.
"However, the circumstances over the summer leading into the beginning of pre-season until now have resulted in that we already used a number of players for all the games and the fact they have been part of our physical preparation for the new season means that I felt the risk was too high to lose a player for the beginning of our new campaign.
"The free week will now allow us to integrate James McArthur, Don Cowie, Marco Fortune and Rob Kiernan into our preparations for Friday's match, which I feel is the right way to progress."
The club have apologised to fans who have made the journey for the game, instead offering to put on an open training session for fans to watch on the morning before the game was due to be played.
Fans will also be given the chance to meet and have photographs with the players. Rosler added: "Obviously we feel for the supporters who have travelled this far and if anyone wants to come, they will be made very welcome."
