Following an unbeaten start to pre-season, with back-to-back 1-1 draws with Watford and Nuremburg followed by a thumping 5-0 win over an MLS All-Star XI, Arsenal tasted their first defeat of the summer at the hands of Premier League rivals Manchester United last weekend.
Gunners supporters were excited to see summer signings Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber selected together in the starting lineup for the first time since joining the club for a combined fee in excess of £200m.
However, last season’s Premier League runners-up came up short against the Red Devils, who claimed a 2-0 victory in New Jersey courtesy of first-half strikes from Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho, before Erik ten Hag’s side won 5-3 in an exhibition penalty shootout.
Mikel Arteta acknowledged after the defeat that he was left encouraged by the midfield triumvirate of Rice, Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard, but the Spanish boss has admitted that there are ‘a lot of things to improve on’ as they edge closer to the new season.
Thursday’s contest will see Arteta come face-to-face with familiar opponents in Barcelona, where he began his playing career back in 1999. The Gunners manager will be hoping to lead his side to their first victory over the
Catalan giants in any competition since February 2011 when goals from Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin secured a 2-1 home win in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals – Arsenal went on to lose 4-3 on aggregate, though.
After facing Barcelona, Arsenal will return to North London for an Emirates Cup clash against Monaco next Wednesday, before preparing to lock horns with treble winners Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on August 6.
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However, the friendly was forced to be called off just nine hours before kickoff after a “a significant part of the Blaugrana squad” were diagnosed with the stomach illness viral gastroenteritis.
Various reports in Spain claim that as many as 15 first-team players have been affected by the virus, and the outbreak has somewhat derailed Xavi’s pre-season plans ahead of the new season, in which they will endeavour to defend their La Liga crown and look forward to a return to Champions League action.
Xavi will be keen to see those available for selection regain their focus ahead of Wednesday’s warm-up contest against Arsenal, whom they have beaten in each of their last four meetings across all competitions, three of which in the Champions League.
