Arsenal vs Benfica: Possible Lineup, Preview, Team News & Prediction

Emirates Cup: An exciting prospect.

After a pause for two months, club football is about to start. Pre-season training and competitions are the place for Managers to analyse their team and bookmark the flaws and positives.

Emirates Cup is an exciting tournament that goes on for a couple of days. It’s a mini tournament with Arsenal as the regular feature with three more well to do teams from various parts of the world. It is a points based tournament with much more eye catchy system than the league. It is the seventh time it is being hosted and this time Arsenal host Monaco of Ligue 1, Benfica of the Primeira Liga and Valenciaof La Liga.

Here are the set of rules of the Emirates Cup:

Each team will play two matches, with three points awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and a point for every goal scored. In addition, shots on target will be taken into account and used to decide the competition winners if teams are level on points and goal difference.

Speaking to the press, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said: “We’re delighted to once again be hosting the Emirates Cup in August. This will be the seventh staging of the Emirates Cup and it has proved to be an overwhelming success and a thoroughly enjoyable weekend of football.”

Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium had been barren for a couple of months and now,things will start to normalise again with Emirates Cup and the league football in a couple of weeks time. The Portuguese domestic league champions Benfica will go into their first game as underdogs as Arsene Wenger’s men look for a return to their good form which they left last season. A loss to the United States based side New York Red Bulls which features the club’s legend Thierry Henry, Arsenal will go all guns blazing into this tournament.

Now let’s see what formation might be put into play by the Professor:

Wenger: “Ospina has a little thigh problem. He won’t be available.” http://t.co/GFNaNzGOGy #EmiratesCup pic.twitter.com/qjAiNa8BAi

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) August 1, 2014

David Ospina is out due to a thigh strain, which means Wojciech starts most likely. Chambers, the latest recruit might be given a nod for the game. The 19 year old can be put as a pair to the French international Laurent Koscielny in the centre back as German Mertesacker is yet to return from his holidays and club captain Vermaelen is also out injured. Debuchy and Monreal might start as right back and left back respectively to complete the back four.

In midfield Wilshere, Flamini and Arteta can be looked forward too, any one in the starting line up perhaps. Midfield seems too hard to predict with Arsene Wemger in clear dilemma of whom to choose over whom, but he will get to change his man in the course of the game which serves the purpose of selecting the best for the upcoming Community Shield against Manchester City.

So it should be either of Arteta/Flamini with Ramsey leading the pack along with their new comer Alexis Sanchez who is most likely to start from the bench. Arsenal fans will witness Alexis Sanchez in the grand and brand new Arsenal’s PUMA jersey. The young Costa Rican striker Joel Campbell who had an impressive World Cup might be used in with Olivier Giroud in the final third. Wenger will most likely play the Costa Rican for as much as possible to see how he fares which is supposed to be his first game in an Arsenal shirt.

Arsenal Lineup:

Szczesny; Debuchy, Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal; Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Sanchez, Campbell, Giroud

 Arsenal vs Benfica Prediction:

A lot of things to look forward to for Arsenal and it all starts with this: The Emirates Cup, starting tonight. With all due respect to Benfica, Arsenal will be the clear favourites for the game. A tough season follows for the Gunners, so confidence is much needed. The stone laying starts from here and it must be done properly,for it will shape the course of the season.

Good luck to both the sides!