Arsenal fall 3-1 to Real Betis in final pre-season game

n n

Arsenal concluded their pre-season tour of Spain and Ireland with a 3-1 defeat to Spanish side Real Betis at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.

n

Real Betis raced into a two-goal lead through Riquelme and Nelson Deossa before Piero Hincapie pulled one back for Arsenal with a header from Christos Tzolis’ corner.

n

Former West Ham United midfielder Pablo Fornals restored Betis’ two-goal advantage before the break with a long-range strike as the La Liga side secured victory.

n

A post match report on the club’s website disclosed this.

n

The visitors opened the scoring inside 10 minutes after a corner evaded Arsenal’s defence and fell to Riquelme at the far post.

n

Deossa doubled Betis’ advantage midway through the first half with a powerful 30-yard effort into the top corner.

n

Arsenal responded through Hincapie, who headed home Tzolis’ inswinging corner, but Kai Havertz’s misplaced pass in his own half allowed Fornals to score from outside the penalty area before half-time.

n

Manager Mikel Arteta made seven changes at the break, handing Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Martinelli their first pre-season appearances.

n

However, 19-year-old defender Louie Copley was forced off with an injury just 10 minutes after coming on.

n

Arsenal goalkeeper Illan Meslier denied Isco after the restart, while Gabriel Jesus missed the target from Martinelli’s cut-back as neither side added to the scoreline.

n

The Gunners now return to England for two home friendlies, facing Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup on Sunday before hosting Como next Wednesday.

n

Arsenal will then meet Manchester City in the FA Community Shield at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on August 16 before opening their 2026-27 Premier League campaign at home to Coventry City on August 21.

n n