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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Arsenal will travel to Australia for exhibition in May</li><li>Wiegman 'surprised' by post-season trip</li><li>News comes amid 'chaotic' fixture schedule</li></ul>

'Hard one to take' - Sarina Wiegman 'surprised' by Arsenal's exhibition game in Australia as Lionesses boss admits to venting concerns to Jonas Eidevall

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Arsenal recently announced plans to travel to Australia in May, once the Women's Super League season is over, to take on an A-League all-stars team in an exhibition match. It is expected to be a hit Down Under, with the Gunners boasting a number of Australian stars in their squad, but it came as a surprise to many amid the ongoing concerns regarding the women's football calendar - including Lionesses head coach Wiegman, who has spoken to Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall about it.

WHAT HAPPENED?

<a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/england-sarina-wiegman-fifa-uefa-leah-williamson-vivianne-miedema-crazy-womens-football-calendar/blt3a841d15d62da329" target="_blank">Wiegman spoke out about the calendar chaos in February, with clubs in Europe set to play qualifiers for the 2025 UEFA Women's Euro in June and July</a>. Given many seasons will already be over by this point, the fixtures will rob players of well-earned rest at a time when the women's game is suffering from mass ACL ruptures. Indeed, England captain Leah Williamson hasn't hesitated to link to the demands of the schedule to these injuries, describing fixture congestion as "one of the main reasons" in an interview with <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/01/18/leah-williamson-acl-interview-arsenal-women-schedule-injury/" target="_blank">the Telegraph</a>.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Asked about Arsenal's trip to Australia on Tuesday, Wiegman admitted she was "surprised" by it, before adding: "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. 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."We had conversations already with Arsenal about the summer and those have been very good conversations, we're on the same page and, of course, we all think about how to get players fit and fresh to compete, but also give them rest in this complex calendar. Of course, I'm in contact with Jonas all the time, so I also spoke about these concerns."Asked about the possibility of requesting that Eidevall does not take certain England players, if it would be a concern for her, Wiegman responded: "I think this is a matter of Arsenal. The last thing I will do is dictate the club or dictate the coach. That's not my job and that's not what I want to do. I think this is a wider thing and Arsenal hasn't announced the team yet, so I don't know who is going. I'm the England coach, but this is wider. Let's take away Arsenal, if any club would go and you have all international players from different countries, then I think for all these players who are playing competitive games in June with their country, that will be a hard one to take."

WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

Wiegman is not the only coach to speak out about the demands of the women's football calendar. Netherlands boss Andries Jonker voiced his concerns earlier this week, too, describing it as "complete chaos"."It has to do with the full calendar of the women and not wanting to play at the same time as the men," <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/chaos-netherlands-boss-andries-jonker-blasts-unacceptable-uefa-calendar-claims-men-priority-over-women/blt004671f842834c1c" target="_blank">he said</a>. "Then that calendar gets completely full. The men have priority and the women have to adapt to that. This is really not acceptable. Most players have no rest at all."

DID YOU KNOW?

<a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/england-womens-lionesses-fixtures-results-schedule-tv-streams/blt46e43028ee731271" target="_blank">The Lionesses will begin their Euro qualifying campaign next week, taking on Sweden at Wembley on April 5 before travelling to Dublin to face Ireland on April 9</a>.

WHAT NEXT FOR WIEGMAN AND ENGLAND?

'Hard one to take' - Sarina Wiegman 'surprised' by Arsenal's exhibition game in Australia as Lionesses boss admits to venting concerns to Jonas Eidevall | Goal.com English Qatar

England boss Sarina Wiegman is &quot;surprised&quot; by Arsenal&apos;s May Australia trip as it won&apos;t be &quot;good&quot; for players amid an &quot;already complicated&quot; calendar.

&apos;Hard one to take&apos; - Sarina Wiegman &apos;surprised&apos; by Arsenal&apos;s exhibition game in Australia as Lionesses boss admits to venting concerns to Jonas Eidevall