"Breaking News: Arsenal vs Barcelona pre-season friendly kick-off delayed by shocking 36 minutes! You won't believe what happened next!"

"Breaking: Arsenal vs Barcelona delayed due to concerns over playing surface."

Arsenal's pre-season friendly against Barcelona in Los Angeles has experienced a delay of 36 minutes. The match was scheduled to start at 3:30 am (UK time) as the final game of Arsenal's tour of the United States. However, at 2:53 am, it was announced on social media that the kick-off at SoFi Stadium would be pushed back by 36 minutes.

Barcelona took to Twitter to inform fans, stating, "Kickoff of tonight's Arsenal Barca at SoFi Stadium has been moved back to 8:06 pm."

The reason for the delay has not been explicitly stated, but there have been concerns about the playing surface in Los Angeles, with videos circulating online. Arsenal correspondent Kaya Kaynak, who is present at the event, shared a short clip on social media showing the Arsenal players inspecting the pitch.

Interestingly, the announcement of the delay coincided with Barcelona revealing their starting lineup for the match. Ilkay Gundogan, a former target of Arsenal, was included in Xavi's midfield, alongside new signing Oriol Romeu. Additionally, Raphinha, who was linked with a move to Arsenal last summer, also secured a spot in the team.

The SoFi Stadium, which belongs to Stan Kroenke's Los Angeles Rams, has not hosted a football match since the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup final between Mexico and Panama, which took place ten days ago. However, over the weekend, the stadium did host a concert by American country music singer Morgan Wallen.

Now, let's turn our attention to the rising stars of Arsenal. Which of these promising players would you choose to promote or send out on loan? Swipe to share your opinion.

Share With Others