Arsenal: Gunners start pre-season programme v Barnet - Sat July 15
Published: 15 July, 2010
by STEVE BARNETT
ARSENAL fans will be hoping to get the chance to see new signings Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny in action on Saturday when the club kick off their pre-season programme.
The Gunners travel to the Underhill Stadium for their traditional curtain-raiser against League Two side Barnet.
On Wednesday Arsene Wenger took charge of his first training session of the summer having spent the last month in South Africa covering the World Cup for French television.
The Arsenal manager wasted little time calling in his big guns, with Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri, Andrey Arshavin and Thomas Vermaelen all among the names returning to training at London Colney.
Spanish star Cesc Fabregas and Dutch striker Robin van Persie have both been given extra time off to recover following their involvement at the World Cup.
Fabregas has insisted that nothing should be read into pictures showing him wearing a Barcelona shirt during Spain’s celebrations after beating the Netherlands 1-0 to win the prestigious trophy.
Barca boys Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, along with Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, forced Fabregas to wear the Blaugrana jersey.
It was a silly stunt considering the 23-year-old has been linked with a move to the Catalan club all summer, but one that the Arsenal captain is adamant should not be taken too seriously.
“These are things that happen at special moments and I don’t think it should be gone on about much more because it was just another anecdote of a great night, a great celebration,” explained Fabregas.
“There are times we do not even know what we do, so everything can be forgiven.
“Pepe took me there to the front of the stage, the truth is that I didn’t know anything like that was going to happen and so I was a bit surprised.
“At first I thought it was a flag or something, but it’s nothing. You had to enjoy it and if it’s a way to have fun, it’s nothing.”