The EPL giants will take on Malaysia XI at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow as part of their tour of Asia, where they will also play against Manchester City in the inaugural China Cup in Beijing on Friday and Kitchee FC in Hong Kong on Sunday. The Frenchman said the pre-season tour is also aimed at bringing their club closer to their fans worldwide.
“We are here firstly to share with you the way we see and play football, secondly to prepare for the new season and thirdly to test the Malaysian XI, who have promised us a hard time,” said Wenger in a press conference at the Saujana Golf and Country Club here yesterday. “When the season starts, we live in a bubble and just focus on the next game. So pre-season tour such as this helps create a solidarity within the club and the team.
“It was a tough playing against Malaysia last year because we usually lack sharpness at the start of our pre-season. It’s the same this year and our opponents will be out to show that they have improved from last year.”
This will be the Gunners’ second consecutive trip to Malaysia after a 12-year hiatus. They defeated a Malaysian XI 4-0 at the National Stadium last July. The Gunners had beaten Malaysia 2-0 in 1999, having lost by the same scoreline back in 1975.
National team coach Datuk K. Rajagopal is eyeing a better performance from his team. “It’s not easy to play against one of the best teams in the EPL. We should know because we didn’t do well against them last year,” said Rajagopal. “We will take this opportunity to show everyone what we can do. Football fans can expect an exciting match on Tuesday night.”
The Gunners have named a strong 24-man squad, including rising star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. However, want-away striker Robin Van Persie and new signings – Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud – have been left behind.
-thestar online.
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