Several Arsenal players suffer food poisoning in China

Several Arsenal players suffered from a nasty bout of food poisoning on the club’s recent preseason trip to China, according to ESPN FC. The news comes just as Arsenal is wrapping up a preseason stint in China in which the club won the Shanghai Cup over Bayern Munich.

The illness forced both Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud to miss the Bayern match entirely, and new left back Sead Kolasinac had to leave the match before halftime. Second-half substitutes Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott reportedly felt sick as well.

This marks the first time Arsenal has crapped its pants against Bayern Munich since last season’s Champions League knockout round.

Wenger attributed the illness, at least in part, to the club’s grueling preseason travel schedule, which sent the Gunners from an Australian winter to the sweltering heat of Shanghai, saying, “If you ask me if it is ideal physically to prepare, I say certainly not.”

However, Wenger did go on to add, “Does it have other advantages? Yes, because we can meet fans all over the world. The bonding in the team is easier as well because we live together for two weeks. So on that front it can be very positive.”

Plus, hey, we won the Shanghai Cup! And to think some folks said Wenger’s days of winning big trophies were over.