Arsenal v Chelsea - FA Cup Final — LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 01: Arsenal players celebrates their teams victory in the Heads Up FA Cup Final match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 01, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Adam Davy/Pool via Getty Images)

Arsenal set surprisingly early date for pre-season return

Aug 3, 2020

According to the latest schedule, Arsenal will return for pre-season training in just two weeks’ time with the Community Shield 12 days later.

arsenal players in the dressing room — Mikel Arteta and Arsenal players celebrate in Wembley dressing room (via Arsenal.com)

Arsenal Fixture News report that Arsenal will return for pre-season training on Monday 17th August.

After that, they have 12 days to prepare for another trip to Wembley, this time to play Liverpool in the Community Shield.

The Community Shield will take place on August 29th, quickly followed by the first international break of the season.

Following that, the Premier League kicks off again on September 12th.

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Clearly, the squad won’t have much time to recover, particularly the internationals.

Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (L) reacts as he drops the winner's trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. - Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP) — Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (L) reacts as he drops the winner’s trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. – Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)

Someone like Aubameyang will get two weeks to relax, then pre-season, Community Shield, flying out for Gabon matches and returning for the Premier League in under a month.

The restart looks as hectic as the end of the season was.

One more date for the diary is the Europa League group stage draw on October 2nd.

We already know Arsenal and Leicester City will enter the competition at that point.

Tottenham Hotspur now have to play three qualifiers to join us thanks to Arsenal winning the FA Cup.

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