London, May 5 (IANS) Arsenal Football Club manager Arsene Wenger feels there are both advantages and disadvantages in the pre-season overseas tour especially in a major tournament year.
The English Premier League side announced its summer overseas tour comprising visits to Asia in July and Africa in early August.
The tour, presented by Emirates, begins in Kuala Lumpur when the first team will play against a Malaysia XI in the Bukit Jalil Stadium July 24.
The Gunners then travel to China to play against Manchester City at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing July 27. The team will visit Hong Kong for a match against local champion Kitchee FC July 29.
Arsenal will embark on an African leg of the pre-season schedule, which sees the team travel to in Nigeria for a match Aug 5, Xinhua reports.
As the European Championship will be staged in June and the Premier League will start the new season in August, the long journey might add fatigues to the players.
“A tour like that has advantages and disadvantages. Lets be honest,” said the French manager Friday.
