Arsenal’s German contingent of Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski will all miss Arsenal’s opening game of the new Premier League season.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has granted the trio further resting time in order to maintain maximum fitness after Germany’s dominance during the World Cup in Brazil.
This means that Arsenal’s first match against Crystal Palace on august 16th, will not feature any of the players.
“I have given them a good break because I have experience of players who have been in the World Cup Final,” Wenger said. “You need a rest.”
“Will they be ready? Mertesacker prepares well – but for the first game… I don’t think they will be ready for August 16.”
“A post-World Cup year is always very difficult and short, the World Cup Final was July 13 and the start of the Premier League is August 16.”
“From FIFA we are obliged to give four weeks’ holiday to the players, so I don’t know how all that works together.”
“It looks impossible to me. A post-World Cup year is always very difficult for every big club because the players have been away.”
By Ollie Brown
