Arsene Wenger is set to take on Chelsea manager Antonio Conte for the first time since Arsenal's FA Cup final triumph in May.
The two Premier League sides will face off in a friendly match in Beijing — the last installment of Arsenal's pre-season tour.
The three preceding fixtures have all resulted in wins (of sorts). The Gunners beat Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia before heading to Shanghai. There they beat Bayern Munich on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
In terms of negatives for Wenger, Alexis Sanchez's future remains in doubt with the Chilean yet to commit to a deal.
Below, you can see what Wenger had to say ahead of tomorrow's game...
A brief re-cap
With all the translating of questions and answers into English and Chinese, not much was really said.
With that in mind, here’s our very brief summary of what was said.
Wenger on Chelsea: “It’s a friendly between Chelsea and Arsenal. That means it’s not really a friendly. There is always some desire to have superiority.”
Wenger on the team recovering from illness: “Walcott might not play tomorrow. Today we had 21 players fit. Walcott was not ready, but it’s nothing major.”
Koscielny on his back: “My back is better. Today I train and I’m OK, not 100 per cent but OK. We will see tomorrow.”
Koscielny on Wenger: “He has built a lot of players but also he built the men.”
That was all a bit odd
The press conference ends abruptly when music starts playing very loudly, cutting Wenger off mid-sentence.
A voice announces over the speaker system that Wenger’s press conference is over. The announcer thanks Wenger and Koscielny, who has already left.
On the Chelsea game
“It’s difficult to predict but as Koscielny said, it’s a friendly between Chelsea and Arsenal. That means it’s not really a friendly.
“There is always some desire to have superiority. We played them in the FA Cup, we play them in the Community Shield and then again early in the season.”
Wenger on players recovering from illness
Mirror Football’s John Cross asks about the stomach bug that was going around the squad.
“Walcott might not play tomorrow. Today we had 21 players fit. Walcott was not ready, but it’s nothing major.”
Koscielny on his back injury
“My back is better. Today I train and I’m OK, not 100 per cent but OK. We will see tomorrow.
“I’m optimistic.”
Koscielny on Wenger
“I have a lot of respect for him. He brought me over from France and gave me the chance to play for a big club, to play in the Champions League, to get into the national team.
“He has built a lot of players but also he built the men.”
We’re more than five minutes in and Wenger is yet to say anything.
After a very long statement from one of the Chinese sponsors, Wenger has been asked to sign a shirt.
He then receives a gift.
Still no comment from him.
They're here...
A little later than planned, but not later than expected, Wenger has arrived.
He’s joined by Laurent Koscielny.
Proceedings begin with lots of sponsors being introduced and a long statement (not in English) being read out.
While you wait: Sancho update
Tottenham and Arsenal are circling Manchester City wonderkid Jadon Sancho, as his Etihad frustrations continue to grow.
City are desperately trying to get England under-17 starlet Sancho to commit his future to the club.
But he has yet to put pen-to-paper on a new deal - worth in the region of £30,000-a-week - and was subsequently left out of the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Bundesliga runners-up RB Leipzig, who have been keeping an eye on the best young English talent, are also keen on the 17-year-old.
Spurs have already had an attempt to include Sancho in the deal that took Kyle Walker to the Etihad, knocked back.
Meanwhile, long-term Sancho admirers Arsenal continue to monitor his situation, with the player having just one year left on his scholarship deal.
Sancho is unhappy at his lack of a defined pathway into the first-team at the Etihad, and has seen Bernardo Silva arrive to further enhance Pep Guardiola’s attacking options this summer.
Wenger then Conte
Wenger is due out at 10.40am UK time and his press conference will be followed by Conte’s.
The Frenchman normally turns up late to these things in London but we’re hoping he’ll be a bit more punctual today.
Arsenal and Mesut Ozil closing in on a new contract as positive talks hint at looming breakthrough
Arsenal are increasingly hopeful they will be able to reach agreement on a new contract with Mesut Ozil, writes John Cross in Beijing.
There have been more positive talks and signs of a breakthrough in negotiations which have been boosted by Ozil himself saying he wants to stay.
Ozil has been locked in a contract stand-off for months as he has been demanding £350,000-a-week, while Arsenal have offered £280,000-a-week.
But the 28-year-old has not drawn the same level of interest as Alexis Sanchez, who also has one year left. Arsenal are facing a major dilemma over the Chilean striker’s future, with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain both keen.
