Arsenal vs Lens: When does it start, what TV channel is it on, where can I watch it and team news?
Everything you need to know about Arsenal vs Lens
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal get their pre-season campaign up and running on Friday evening in the form of a friendly against Ligue 2 side Lens at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, with a number of first team players expected to get a run-out ahead of the start of the new Premier League season.
The Gunners will be hoping to build on last season’s second-place finish in the Premier League table, which while it was an improvement on the 2014/15 campaign, was still a disappointment as they fell away from the title battle to allow Leicester City to canter home and claim the spoils.
Arsene Wenger appeared to be moving swiftly in the transfer market to appease fans and strengthen his squad, with Granit Xhaka one of the first deals to be completed this summer in a £30m switch from Borussia Monchengladbach.
His new teammates have travelled to France to prepare for the match, with Per Mertesacker, Theo Walcott, Mohamed Elneny and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all expected to play after enjoying a summer off – although for Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain it came at the expense of going to Euro 2016.
However, the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud remain on holiday and will not feature, with Sanchez currently undergoing treatment on an ankle injury he suffered in the Copa America final.
What time does it start?
The match kicks-off at 19:00 BST [20:00 CET] on Friday 22 July at Lens’s Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Where can I watch it?
The match will not be shown live on TV, with the only place to watch it being a live video stream through Arsenal.com or the Arsenal App.
Possible Arsenal starting XI:
Martinez; Chambers, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal; Elneny, Coquelin; Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi, Walcott; Akpom.
Arsenal’s pre-season programme
vs MLS All-Stars, Thursday 28 April, 01:00 BST, Dallas
vs Chivas, Sunday 31 July, 17:00 BST, San Jose
vs Viking VK, Friday 5 August, 19:30 BST, Stavanger [Norway]
vs Manchester City, Sunday 7 August, 18:00 BST [Stockholm]
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