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Arsenal Cancels Napoli Press Conference After Flight Delay

9/9/2026

16 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Arsenal cancelled its pre-match press conference after a UK air-traffic control failure delayed the flight to Napoli.
The team was not expected to reach Naples until about 9.30 pm local time (8.30 pm BST).
Defender Jurrien Timber was added to the 23-man squad after recovering from a groin injury.
Goalkeeper Illan Meslier, defender Marli Salmon and other players travelled to Naples.
Cristhian Mosquera remained a doubt because of a muscle injury.

History

Historical Context

In April 2010 the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull spewed ash that shut European airspace for six days, grounding roughly 10 million travelers. The disruption prompted the European Aviation Safety Agency to revise ash-cloud rules, a legacy that shaped contingency plans used when the UK’s air-traffic control failure forced Arsenal’s 2024 press conference cancellation.

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Story summary

Arsenal cancelled its pre-match press conference after a UK air-traffic control failure delayed the flight to Napoli.
The team was not expected to reach Naples until about 9.30 pm local time (8.30 pm BST).
Defender Jurrien Timber was added to the 23-man squad after recovering from a groin injury.
Goalkeeper Illan Meslier, defender Marli Salmon and other players travelled to Naples.
Cristhian Mosquera remained a doubt because of a muscle injury.

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