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London rivals Arsenal will square up against Chelsea in a preseason friendly match on August 1st 2018. It may seem to be just a preseason game, but there is a lot at stake for both teams. Here are four reasons why this is so.
New managers eager to prove a point
Both clubs have new managers and have spent the last few weeks, imposing their footballing philosophy into their team. Practically, this will be the first meeting between teams managed by both managers, with each of them eager to get one over the other. Though they may not have the full squad available to them due to the absence of some players who were on World Cup duty, it still serves as a 'moment of truth' for both managers to test their tactical competence and probably get a psychological advantage over the other ahead of the new season.
Rivals (London Derby)
Both Arsenal and Chelsea are in London, with the former in the north and the latter in the south. As a result of this geographical proximity, fans and players of both clubs are usually at each other's throat when hostilities begin on the football pitch irrespective of whether it is a friendly game or not. Both clubs will be seeking to attain the bragging rights ahead of the new season, so it is expected to be more than just a 'friendly game'
Potential confidence booster
Prior to the start of the 2017/2018 season, both teams met in a preseason game where Chelsea ran away with a 3-0 win thanks to a brace from Michy Batshuayi. That result gave them the much-needed confidence booster ahead of their meeting with the Gunners in the Premier League, and they recorded draws both at Stamford Bridge and at the Emirates stadium. Their only loss came in the Capital one cup semi-final and the Community Shield where they lost on penalties after the game ended 1-1. Both clubs will be looking to draw first blood going into the new season, with their league meeting a fortnight away.
Final preparation for the new season
Both clubs are rounding up preparations ahead of the new season. However, for Chelsea , this game is very important. Both clubs will be aiming to put behind them the disappointment of finishing outside the top four last season. Arsenal play Lazio after Chelsea, but for Sarri, this is the last pre-season friendly.
Finally, this can serve as an opportunity for some players who did not start pre-season preparations with the squad due to their involvement in this year's World Cup to give their respective coaches some selection headaches ahead of the new season and look for a starting eleven berth in the team. This is a pre-season friendly, but the team that carries the day cannot complain.
