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Pre-season Friendlies

Jul 22, 2017 at 12.40pm UK

Chelsea
3-0
Arsenal

Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')

FT(HT: 2-0)

Arsene Wenger expects tough test for Arsenal against Chelsea

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 21 July 2017

Wenger expects tough test against Chelsea

Arsene Wenger claims that Saturday morning's meeting between Arsenal and Chelsea in Beijing "is not really a friendly" as both teams are fighting for pride.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that he is expecting his side to face another tough test when they take on Chelsea in Saturday's friendly clash.

Two of English football's heavyweight sides lock horns at the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing, 55 days after meeting in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

It is the first of three games between the rivals in the next two months, with matches also scheduled for August 6 in the Community Shield and September 17 in the Premier League, and Wenger does not expect it to pass by without incident.

"It's a friendly against Chelsea and that means it is not really a friendly," he told reporters. "There's always some pride at stake and London desire.

"It was an interesting game in the FA Cup final. We play Chelsea in Community Shield and early in the season again. We know each other very well. It's difficult to know how prepared Chelsea will be, it is another test for us."

Arsenal have won all three of their pre-season friendlies so far this summer, most recently overcoming Bayern Munich on penalties on Wednesday afternoon.