Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has decided to let his French internationals play in their November friendly in Australia.
Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord face long journeys Down Under after Wenger admitted he would not prevent them from playing for the world champions in Melbourne on November 11th.
All four players recently made the 28-hour round trip to Chile for another friendly, with Wenger unhappy that Wiltord, Vieira and Henry returned with jet-lag.
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein subsequently wrote to 12 other clubs with French internationals in their squads and received support from Chelsea managing director Colin Hutchinson and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
But Wenger now accepts he will have to let his Gallic stars go to Australia if France coach Roger Lemerre picks them.
"We don't want to go to war with the French Football Federation, but we did want to address the problem," Wenger told his club's official website.
"The players are getting caught in the middle and I can understand that they feel awkward because they want to play for their country.
"I understand the desire to play because it is normal and if I do not send them it will just be punishing them," the Arsenal manager said.
-PA