Arsenal files: Pre-season clash cancelled due to TYPHOON as famous referee retires on Emirates pitch

ARSENAL fans will dominate the stands in this Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester City. The Gunners have been handed over 7,000 extra tickets to the curtain-raiser after Man City failed to sell out their full allocation at the Principality Stadium. Arsenal take on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday Credit: GETTY Gooners will outnumber the City counterparts at the Principality Stadium Credit: GETTY Arsenal were originally handed 25,218 tickets for the fixture, but are now expected to have close to 35,000 fans in Cardiff for the game. A sea of red is expected in the stands, with Arsenal’s allocation stretching around almost 75 per cent of the seats available to supporters. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! The game is being played in Wales due to a concert at Wembley Stadium this weekend, yet Arsenal’s players may feel like they are playing at the Emirates thanks to the enormous travelling support. Fabregas’ sly return Cesc Fabregas couldn’t wait to return to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night for Arsenal vs Como. So much so that the former Gunners midfielder was in the stands for Arsenal’s pre-season defeat to Borussia Dortmund three days prior. Fabregas’ Como side spent the week training in the UK and Fabregas made a point of coming to the Emirates to watch the Dortmund game before returning again on Wednesday. It wasn’t the only time he has watched a game from the stands in recent years. Fabregas was also present for Arsenal’s famous victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League two seasons ago. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Cesc Fabregas returned to the Emirates on Wednesday as Lake Como boss Credit: GETTY But the former Gunner made a sly return a few days earlier to watch his old side take on Borussia Dortmund Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK The retired midfielder has an unusual relationship with Arsenal supporters given his move to Chelsea late in his career. But the Emirates faithful ensured he was given a warm welcome during Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Como. New backroom staff member Arsenal have made further changes to their medical department by hiring Yeray Abreu Martinez. The Spaniard is a strength and conditioning coach, who specialises in the rehab of players. Most recently, he had been working with Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad but he has now joined the Gunners. In a statement on social media, Martinez said: “Proud and grateful to be part of the Arsenal family. “A new chapter that I embrace with great commitment and ambition, looking forward to what’s ahead in this great project.” Arsenal made sweeping changes to their medical team this summer and Martinez is one of several new faces. Consultant Joaquin Acedo – who has known Arteta for decades – has played a key role in the revamp. Yeray Abreu Martinez has been brought on as one of Arsenal’s new Physical Performance coaches Credit: GETTY Teens’ typhoon trouble Arsenal’s youngsters saw part of their pre-season preparations CANCELLED due to a typhoon. The Gunners’ Under-17 side had been taking part in the Shanghai Future Stars Cup in China and made it to the final after a penalty shootout win over Shanghai U17s. Arsenal were due to face China’s U17s in the final, but the match was scrapped due to dangerous weather conditions. The Young Guns were named joint-winners of the tournament after the game was scuppered by the typhoon. Highly-rated teenager Jaden Maghoma won the golden boot after netting four times during the tournament. Arsenal’s travelling squad also included rising star Luis Munoz, Ethan Nwaneri’s brother Emerson Nwaneri, and Mikel Arteta’s son Gabriel Arteta. Arsenal’s U17s’ Shanghai Future Stars Cup showdown with China’s 17s fell victim to a typhoon Credit: Getty Tzol the rage Christos Tzolis made his debut in the Premier League five years ago against…Arsenal. Tzolis and his Norwich team suffered a 1-0 loss at the Emirates on September 11, 2021. Had the Canaries won, manager Mikel Arteta would have been under massive pressure as it would have been a fourth successive top-flight loss for the Spaniard. Arsenal scored with a scrappy 66th-minute winner from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the visitors believing that VAR missed a handball and Tzolis, a £9million arrival from PAOK, was replaced a couple of minutes later by Daniel Farke. Norwich’s former sporting director Stuart Webber recalled: “Christos scored twice against Bournemouth in the League Cup so he started at Arsenal. “We’d lost the first three games of the season. We’d lost against Liverpool at home, Manchester City away, Leicester at home. Gunners newboy Christos Tzolis made his Emirates debut five years ago Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK “But they’d also lost the first three games of the season. “Arteta, in that game, was under huge pressure. You’d have to ask them, but I’m pretty sure if we’d rocked up and beat them, it would’ve been a problem. “I remember Nicolas Pepe was playing for them. Brandon Williams had him in his pocket. It was the scrappiest 1-0 game. Let’s say their goal ricocheted off a handball. “A fair result would’ve been his draw, but yes, Christos made his debut in the Premier League that day.” Five years later, Tzolis will be looking to make his Premier League debut for Arsenal against Coventry next Friday. Webber added: “I’m delighted he’s gone and done what he’s done. He’s just a really good guy who cares a lot. I think it hurt him that it didn’t quite work out with us.” Ref’s farewell Assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis ended her officiating career at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The lineswoman announced last week that she would be hanging up her flag and had a final send-off in North London for Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup. Her final match was celebrated behind the scenes at the stadium before she had one last outing ahead of a move to an FA position. Massey-Ellis has officiated in over 150 Premier League matches since making her debut in 2010. She is set to become The FA‘s Senior Manager for Women Referees from September, where she will support and develop female officials across the country. Sian Massey-Ellis hung up her flag following Arsenal’s pre-season defeat to Borussia Dortmund Credit: Getty Comment now