Overview
Arsenal continues to collect silver medals in the top flight of English football. They have lost the opportunity to gain the long-awaited glory to another red team in the 2024-2025 season.
If fans had known about Manchester City's decline before the 2024-2025 campaign began, they would have likely believed that Arsenal were the team that took advantage of the opportunity. However, Liverpool under coach Arne Slot have surprisingly brought home the 20th championship title in the club's history.
The combination of serious injuries and lack of courage at key moments contributed to Arsenal's latest slip. And while reaching the Champions League semi-finals is a commendable achievement, it does not bring any titles.
However, now that they have successfully recruited Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke, The Gunners are expected to bring a new face.
Arteta's side will face Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur in their Asian tour. The Gunners have started the summer smoothly, winning 2-0 against Watford in a closed friendly over the weekend, with Ben White and Kai Havertz scoring.
While Arsenal still believe in Arteta's philosophy, AC Milan has returned to a name that many people once believed would replace Arsene Wenger in 2018: Massimiliano Allegri.
The Italian tactician had a chaotic second spell at Juventus, which ended in scandals in 2024 when he was sent off and had an angry appearance after helping the Coppa Italia champions. Now, he will have a second chance at San Siro.
Allegri led the Rossoneri from 2010-2014, and in his first season, he led the seven-time European champions to the Serie A title. At the age of 57, Allegri returned to Milan to replace Sergio Conceicao after a disappointing 2024-2025 season.
Despite winning the Italian Super Cup, Milan only finished eighth in Serie A, lost to Bologna in the Coppa Italia final and were eliminated from the Champions League play-off round against Feyenoord. That means the Rossoneri will be completely absent from European competition in the 2025-2026 season.
Instead, Milan will only face English sides in pre-season friendlies, including clashes with Arsenal, Liverpool, Leeds United and Chelsea from now until 10 August. They will also have a match against Perth Glory on August 31.
Milan's most recent memories of Arsenal are also not very happy. They were defeated 5-1 by the Gunners in the 2017-2018 Europa League round of 16 and were eliminated from the 2007 2008 Champions League by this opponent. However, the Rossoneri paid off that debt four years later.
Expected lineup:
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
AC Milan: Maignan, Jimenez, Gabbia, Thiaw, Bartesaghi, Musah, Ricci, Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic, Okafor, Leao.
The match between Arsenal and AC Milan takes place at 6:30 p.m. on July 23 (Vietnam time).
