Lionesses forward Alessia Russo and USWNT defender Emily Fox are among those in Arsenal's squad for their controversial post-season Australia trip.

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• Arsenal announce squad for controversial trip
• Russo & Fox among senior internationals
• Face long journeys back to play for countries

• Table of Contents

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners will make the long journey Down Under this week for a match with an A-League Women's All-Stars team, which will take place in Melbourne on May 24. It is an occasion which will certainly capitalise on the popularity of the team in Australia, especially as there are three Matildas in the Arsenal squad, but it has not gone down well with others amid the scheduling chaos that is troubling women's football.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Russo and Fox are among seven senior internationals likely to be involved in matches with their countries just a week later, on May 31 or June 1, thus needing to make long journeys back from Australia quite soon after the friendly in Australia to fulfil international duties. Katie McCabe, Victoria Pelova, Kathrine Kuhl, Frida Maanum and Cloe Lacasse are the others who look set to be in that situation.

• WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

  Arsenal's decision to play this game has frustrated some then, including England head coach Sarina Wiegman who admitted in March that she was "surprised" by the news.

  "I think for all the players with the already complicated calendar, it's not good for them to go to the other side of the world, very short term, not having the time to adapt and play a game and come back and go for us in two games against France, home and away," she said. "But I would say that's not only for the English players, that's for every European player that goes into the qualifiers. That's the thing that will be hard for them to take and to perform at the highest level."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The England duo of Leah Williamson and Beth Mead, No.1 goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger and Sweden striker Stina Blackstenius are among those not to be selected for the squad. Defender Lotte Wubben-Moy is sidelined due to an injury that has ruled her out of the Lionesses' double-header against France.

  As such, the rest of the Arsenal squad is made up of young prospects and players who no longer play at international level, such as former Scotland star Kim Little and France goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi, who will temporarily rejoin the Gunners for this trip despite seeing her short-term deal end earlier in the season.

Tags: Futebol
Category: News