While it is always wonderful to get out and travel, simply put, there is no place like home. Arsenal FC, having just concluded their preseason tour of the United States, are now back home at the Emirates, for the last two tune-ups, before the matches start to count for real. Up first is a visit from Bayer Leverkusen, who make this matchup historical.
Last year they became the first Bundesliga side to ever complete an undefeated season.
Preseason Friendly FYIs
Bayer Leverkusen at Arsenal FC
Kickoff (local time): Wed. Aug 7, 6pm, Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Arsenal Preview Content: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Stream: Arsenal.com
Series history: 2002 UCL Group stage, Arsenal won the tie 5-2
Obviously, Arsenal have that kind of history in their past as well, with Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” squad from the early 2000s. After Leverkusen, the Gunners will then welcome Lyon to north London, for something that is called the Emirates Cup.
Manager Mikel Arteta is currently focused on working his players who were away at the Euros and the Copa, so we won’t see any of them start here. That said, he’ll still try to go with a pretty strong lineup, in order to send a message of intent.
Arsenal Starting XI Prediction vs Bayer Leverkusen
David Raya; Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel, Jacob Kiwior; Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Nwaneri; Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Eddie Nketiah.
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 Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.