Arsenal are now on preseason tour, setting up shop in Catalonia. Due to a lack of down time this summer, because of the expanded World Cup format, Arsenal football club elected to reduce their travel load. The reigning Premier League champions are holding a training camp in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The north Londoners will take on the local La Liga side, before traveling to Dublin, Ireland, where they’ll face another Spanish top flight side, Real Betis, in Aviva Stadium.
Preseason Opener FYIs
Arsenal vs Girona
When: Saturday, August 1, 7pm UK time
Where: Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
Arsenal Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction Details on the Long-term Injured Players
The other two friendlies, against Borussia Dortmund and Como, will be staged back home at the Emirates. And then before you know it, the Community Shield will be here.
So when you’ve played in the UEFA Champions League Final, and then you’re in the Community Shield too, your offseason is significantly shorter, and thus, no real need to play an excess amount of friendlies.
Arsenal Predicted Starting XI vs Girona (Preseason Friendly)
Kepa Arrizabalaga; Cristian Mosquera, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie; Myles Lewis-Skelly, Cristian Norgaard; Reiss Nelson, Max Dowman, Christos Tzolis; Gabriel Jesus
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.