Arsenal FC to play friendly in Vietnam
(VOV) -The English Premier League’s famed Arsenal Football Club has accepted the Vietnam Football Federation’s (VFF) invitation to play a friendly match against the Vietnamese national team on July 17.
The information was confirmed at a March 5 press briefing organised by the VFF, its sponsor Eximbank, and the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group.
Arsenal players will arrive in Vietnam on July 15, meeting with fans and the national media to promote the club’s image and international reputation.
An Arsenal representative said the club, under head coach Arsene Wenger, will travel with its strongest squad as well as some of its former legends
The club’s Vietnamese presence is primarily attributable to the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, a partner in the construction of the Hoang Anh Gia Lai-Arsenal JMG in the highland province of Pleiku.
Arsenal is one of the most popular international teams among Vietnamese football fans, alongside Manchester United and Barcelona.
The club’s performances have underwhelmed this year. It is currently 5th on the Premier League table and is unlikely to secure a place in the Champions League.
The latter is especially painful for Arsenal fans considering the club’s historical success in that arena.