Arsenal Cancels This Summer’s Emirates Cup

Arsenal made this announcement on Monday, adding that the preseason tournament was cancelled to allow for pitch reconstruction at the Emirates Stadium, which is expected to take place throughout the summer.

The Emirates Cup will not be held this summer to due Euro 2016 and pitch renovation work: https://t.co/3NR5AU42gg pic.twitter.com/eDBc9Hkdy9

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) April 18, 2016

 

“We know how popular the Emirates Cup is with our fans here in the UK and around the world, so we are disappointed that we will not be hosting it this summer,” Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said in a club statement.

“The shorter preseason window and the need to relay our pitch has resulted in this decision being taken. We look forward to hosting the tournament in 2017.”

The Emirates Cup was launched in 2007, Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are among the teams to have played in the competition since its inception.

The last time the competition was cancelled was in 2012, due to the London Olympic Games that period.

Arsenal are 13 points behind league leaders Leicester and Arsene Wenger has warned his players that they face a fight to secure a Champions League place next season.

“I am not in the mood to dream about the championship,” said Wenger.

“It is much more to look behind us because everybody behind us is winning games and, for us, it could be a fight until the end to get the place in the top four.”