Arsenal continue their pre-season schedule against Champions League qualifiers Real Betis at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League champions head to Dublin to take on Real Betis, as they continue their build-up to the new season.
Arsenal opened their pre-season in front of fans with a convincing 4-1 win over Girona, with goals from Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis, Max Dowman and Gabriel Jesus.
Betis, managed by Manuel Pellegrini, are likely to provide a sterner test. They come into this one having secured Champions League football last season and have already played five pre-season games, winning four whilst conceding just once.
Arsenal Team News
Against Girona, Arteta mixed established names, new signings and academy prospects, sharing minutes widely across his squad.
Tzolis marked his Arsenal debut with a goal, Dowman added both an assist and a finish of his own, and Gabriel Jesus rounded off the scoring after coming off the bench. Illan Meslier also made his first appearance in front of fans.
Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Martinelli have now linked up with the squad after extended breaks following the World Cup. Their return gives Arteta more options, though he’ll be weighing up how quickly to increase their minutes.
The Gunners' England international contingent are expected back following the match against Real Betis, with Martin Odegaard also amongst those returning late due to Norway's World Cup run.
The Betis game is another chance for those who featured against Girona to build up their minutes. Havertz looked lively on his return, and there were also run-outs for Viktor Gyökeres, Ethan Nwaneri, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly and a handful of academy players.
Real Betis Form
Betis have made a strong start to pre-season, winning four of their five matches so far.
Their summer began with a 3-0 win over Sportfreunde Lotte, followed by a narrow victory against Recreativo de Huelva. After a 1-0 defeat to Granada, Betis bounced back with a 4-0 win over Lyon and another clean sheet in a 1-0 result against Almería.
Iván Corralejo grabbed the winner against Almería, finishing off a move started by Pablo García’s pressing. In total, Betis have scored nine and conceded just once in pre-season.
Pellegrini’s squad features the likes of Isco, Giovani Lo Celso, Pablo Fornals, Antony, Cucho Hernández and former Arsenal right-back Héctor Bellerín. Their technical quality in possession should give Arsenal’s defence and pressing a real workout. For Betis, the Gunners should provide them with a much more competitive fixture.
Goalkeeper Diego Conde remains a doubt after dislocating his left shoulder against Granada. Betis say his return to training will depend on how his recovery progresses.
What to Expect
At this stage of pre-season, how the minutes are shared out often tells you more than the final score.
Arteta made an unusually early triple substitution against Girona, withdrawing Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyökeres and Piero Hincapié after only 33 minutes. That appeared to reflect individual workload plans rather than the flow of the match, and it will be worth watching whether those players are now given longer spells against Betis.
The same applies across a squad whose members returned to training at different stages. Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Martinelli have now joined the group following their extended post-World Cup breaks, while others who featured in Spain may be ready to move beyond the 30, 45 or 60-minute marks.
Arteta will want to build fitness without losing the attacking connections Arsenal showed against Girona. Christos Tzolis will be pushing for another opportunity after scoring on his debut, while Max Dowman’s goal and assist have increased interest in how prominently he could feature during the rest of the summer.
Betis’ pre-season record suggests the Gunners should find fewer easy openings than they did in Girona. Manuel Pellegrini’s side have kept four clean sheets in five games and should be comfortable keeping possession for extended periods.
When Is Arsenal vs Real Betis?
The fixture takes place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Wednesday, August 5.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7.30pm BST.
This will be the first time the two clubs have met at senior level, and Betis’ first visit to Dublin. When the fixture was announced, Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick called it 'high-quality opposition and vital preparation.'
How to Watch Arsenal vs Real Betis
The match will be shown live on Arsenal.com and through the official Arsenal app.
Individual match passes are priced at £6.99, with the fixture also included in Arsenal’s wider pre-season streaming package.
Prediction
Arsenal 3-1 Real Betis
Betis are further into their pre-season programme and have been difficult to break down, but the Gunners' greater attacking depth should give Arteta enough options to edge a competitive friendly in Dublin.