With pitch renovations and Euro 2016 set to take place this summer, Arsenal have announced that there will be no Emirates Cup at the end of pre-season.
I don’t think too many fans will mind. The Emirates Cup is usually a nice day out for families and those who don’t often have the opportunity to watch the team play but, ultimately, they are only exhibition matches and it’s not like the atmosphere at the stadium is something to be excited by right now.
Clubs like Real Madrid, Internazionale, AC Milan have visited in the past but this summer our players will have a pretty slim pre-season after the trip to the US. Most of our stars will have international duty and the Emirates Cup really isn’t necessary.
The biggest blow is one to our hopes of winning a trophy next season as our own made up competition consisting of just three other teams was almost certainly our best chance of silverware.
Failure to win the competition would see Arsenal ridiculed but winning the pre-season competition would also see Arsenal ridiculed. What’s the point?
PUMA will have to use the rest of pre-season to show off our new kit and the fans will have to wait a little longer to see our expensive new signings (ha!) in action in north London.