Some fun before the real fun begins

Soccer might be the perfect appetizer the night of the London Olympics' opening ceremony.

Arsenal FC and Manchester City will deliver just that at the Bird's Nest hours before the Games' opening show begins in the early morning of July 28 (Beijing time).

"Certainly, having the opportunity to play a game at the Beijing Olympic stadium on the same day when the Games opens in London is quite unique," Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis said last week during his visit to Beijing to promote the club's Save the Children charity campaign.

The exhibition will kick off at 8 pm on July 27 and marks Arsenal's second consecutive China tour after a visit to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province last summer.

"Traditionally, Arsenal had a very quiet preseason in the last decade. Last year, coming to China was a first toe in the water," Gazidis said. "It was a great cultural experience for us, very eye-opening."

The Gunners will take it more seriously this time as the defending Premier League champion will stand on the other side.

"This is a very important part of both clubs' preseason," Gazidis said. "It's a great chance to assess our preparation and new guys to play against another top team."

The clash become more intriguing after City claimed its first Premier League title last month with a roster that includes two former Gunners - midfielder Samir Nasri and wingman Gael Clichy.

Save the Children

Arsenal will join its international partner, Save the Children, to launch charity programs during the visit.

The club will make a donation of 300,000 pounds ($470,670) over three years, helping improve the quality of the education of disadvantaged children ages 6 to 15 in some of Beijing's most under-funded schools.

"We are excited to be launching this new project, which carries on our tradition of giving back to the community," Gazidis said. "It will help us reach even more young people globally and give them a chance to realize their potential."

Sun Xiaochen

(China Daily 06/20/2012 page22)