The traditional pre-season Emirates Cup takes place this weekend, with Arsenal taking on Athletic Club in their final pre-season fixture.
It’s the last chance for Mikel Arteta’s side to impress before they run out at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, and there are certainly one or two in the Gunners changing room who will feel as though they have a point to prove.
It hasn’t been an entirely convincing pre-season for an Arsenal side that is expected to make a strong title challenge. They’ve lost their last two friendlies, going down 1-0 to Tottenham in Hong Kong, before suffering a 3-2 loss against Villarreal back in North London in midweek.
They are up against La Liga opposition again on Saturday, and like Villarreal, Athletic Club are a side that the Gunners could potentially meet in this season’s Champions League.
Ernesto Valverde has clearly been keen for his team to test themselves against elite-level English opponents as Los Leones gear up for a return to Europe’s top competition, and they played two friendlies against Liverpool on Monday at Anfield, losing both by 4-1 and 3-2 margins. Athletic have now lost five straight friendlies in a disappointing pre-season.
Athletic Club have faced six different English clubs in European competition in the past, including Manchester United who they were beaten by in last season’s Europa League semi-finals. However, they’ve never previously been paired with Arsenal.
Kai Havertz, Riccardo Calafiori and Leandro Trossard are expected to be fit enough to feature in this game for Arsenal, but Gabriel Jesus is still out injured.
Oihan Sancet and Benat Prados are missing for the visitors, who are likely to name a strong lineup with La Liga also starting next weekend.
Arsenal: Raya, White, Mosquera, Saliba, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Madueke.
Athletic Club: Simon, Yuri, Vivian, Lekue, Areso, Jauregizar, Ruiz de Galarreta, N. Williams, Berenguer, I. Williams, Guruzeta.
