Two ogbonge teams go jam for Singapore this Wednesday as Arsenal go face AC Milan for their first pre-season match. Di match go happen for National Stadium and go mark di beginning of Mikel Arteta and Massimiliano Allegri new football mission afta di 2024-25 season wey no go as dem plan.
Match Preview
As e be say Arsenal still dey struggle lift Premier League title, dem don collect another second-place medal for 2024-25. Even as Manchester City no perform as expected, na Liverpool shock everybody carry di league title – their 20th one.
Injury wahala and slow transfer market movement na part of wetin spoil Arsenal own. Yes, dem reach Champions League semi-final, but trophy no dey that one. As di transfer window don open well, Arsenal don carry Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke enter. Dem still dey try complete deal for big striker – Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon.
Until Gyokeres land, Arteta go still use di players wey dey as dem begin their Asia tour. Arsenal still beat Watford 2-0 for friendly wey dem play behind closed door – Ben White and Kai Havertz score.
For AC Milan side, dem don call back old coach Max Allegri – di same man wey lead dem win Serie A for 2010-2014. But im last job with Juventus no end well; di man vex, collect red card for Coppa Italia final and dem pursue am. Now, he dey ready for another run with Milan.
2024-25 no be sweet season for AC Milan. Even though dem win Supercoppa Italiana, dem still finish 8th for Serie A, lose Coppa Italia final to Bologna and fail enter Champions League proper afta dem fall for hand against Feyenoord. Because of all these gbege, dem no go play any European football for 2025-26.
So di match with Arsenal na one of di few chances wey Milan get to face English clubs dis year. Dem still get friendly games with Liverpool, Leeds United, and Chelsea before August 10. Then dem go jam Perth Glory on August 31.
Last time wey Milan face Arsenal no sweet dem. Arsenal beat dem 5-1 on aggregate for Europa League 2017-18 round of 16 and also knack dem out of Champions League 2007-08. Milan manage get small revenge for 2012, but na Arsenal still get upper hand overall.
Team News
For Arsenal, Kepa, Norgaard, and Zubimendi dey inside di squad wey don land Singapore. Madueke no follow because e still dey rest from Club World Cup duty with Chelsea. Gyokeres never join officially, so Havertz fit lead attack since Jesus still dey recover from ACL injury.
One small boy, Max Dowman (15 years old), fit get play time for dis friendly. But Martin Odegaard go still wear di captain armband. Dowman na baby compared to Luka Modric wey just join Milan – Modric no dey di tour squad because of Club World Cup palava.
Milan don also sign Samuele Ricci, and dem dey adjust to life without Reijnders and Theo Hernandez – di two don commot, with Theo waka go Al-Hilal. One player wey Arsenal fans dey eye – Rafael Leao – go likely start on di left wing. Okafor fit play as center striker since Santiago Gimenez no dey.
Arsenal Possible Starting Lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
AC Milan Possible Starting Lineup:
Maignan; Jimenez, Gabbia, Thiaw, Bartesaghi; Musah, Ricci, Loftus-Cheek; Pulisic, Okafor, Leao
Prediction
Dis kind pre-season match go get plenty changes for both halves, but Arsenal team dey more settled and don train well with dem new boys. Milan still dey learn Allegri new system and dem miss two big players. We dey expect Arsenal to win with 3-1 scoreline as dem start their Asia tour with style.