Pre-season reaches fever pitch as players prepare for Emirates Cup
The Emirates Stadium will this weekend play host to four of Europe’s leading football teams with its pre-season curtain raiser, the Emirates Cup.
This year, the annual pre-season tournament features Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Glasgow Rangers, who will all be keen to end their pre-season preparations with a bang and capture the trophy which was conceived in 2007.
Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline & Group, said: “Our sponsorship of Arsenal Football Club is essential to our global sporting strategy and The Emirates Cup is a vital part of our association with the club.
“Since the first Emirates Cup was won by Arsenal back in 2007, it has grown from strength to strength. We are looking forward to seeing all the teams in action, and welcoming back Paris Saint-Germain to the Emirates Stadium, a team that we have sponsored since 2005.â€
Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger commented: “I personally enjoy the Emirates Cup immensely and it’s a good opportunity to see how far we are in our pre-season preparation and how fit our players are.
“It’s also the first gathering of our fans at Emirates Stadium and I enjoy the two days because they’re always enjoyable games in a good climate without pressure. It’s also the final firework of the preparation with a relaxed atmosphere, without too much pressure.
“We look forward to welcoming Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Rangers to Emirates Cup 2009. It promises to be a very exciting weekend of football.â€
Antoine Kombouare, manager of Paris Saint-Germain football club, added, “We are very much looking forward to travelling to London to compete in The Emirates Cup. The tournament offers the team an ideal opportunity to prepare for the season ahead by playing against some of the best teams in Europe and a couple of my players will make a welcome return to England where they have enjoyed many successful seasons.â€
Emirates will be engaging fans throughout the event via two notable brand activation concepts. The ‘Emirates Upgrade’ offers two lucky fans the opportunity to have their seats in the stadium upgraded to the exclusive Diamond Club, courtesy of Emirates, which includes all the perks normally associated with hospitality at a top tier premiership football club.
In addition The ‘Emirates Spot the Cap’ will offer lucky fans the chance to win a signed Arsenal match ball by being spotted wearing one of the 10,000 Emirates caps which will be handed out on each day.
In 2004, Emirates, the award winning international airline, and Arsenal signed the biggest club sponsorship in English football history. In addition to the Fly Emirates logo on the players’ shirts, Emirates also has naming rights of Arsenal’s home, Emirates Stadium.
Elsewhere, the airline sponsors Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, Hamburger SV, AC Milan and Olympiacos FC. It is also the Official Sponsor and Airline of BEC Tero Sasana from Thailand.
Emirates’ affinity with football continues as it is an Official Partner of the FIFA World Cup™ and Official Airline and Partner of the Asian Football Confederation. The airline is also heavily involved in rugby, cricket, golf, horseracing, sailing and tennis.
2009 Emirates Cup Schedule:
Saturday 1st August 2009 (All times BST)
14.00Â Glasgow Rangers vs. Paris Saint-Germain
16.00Â Â Arsenal FC vs. Atletico Madrid
Sunday 2nd August 2009
14.00Â Â Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atletico Madrid
16.00Â Â Arsenal FC vs. Glasgow Rangers
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