Rodrigo Riquelme, Nelson Deossa and Pablo Fornals struck earlier than half-time as Actual Betis beat Arsenal in a pleasant to sentence the Gunners to their first defeat of pre-season at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.
Viktor Gyokeres had a shot cleared off the road for the Premier League facet earlier than Riquelme lashed in with 9 minutes performed following goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s calamitous try to collect a nook.
Nelson Deossa…what a success! 😱😱
Actual Betis double their lead over Arsenal with a shocking strike and Mikel Arteta does not look completely happy 🌴 pic.twitter.com/4J5QnjOury
— Premier Sports activities (@PremSportsTV) August 5, 2026
Midfielder Deossa scored the decide of the objectives from distance 17 minutes later and Piero Hincapie headed in for Arsenal within the thirty second minute, just for Fornals to complete coolly from outdoors the field two minutes earlier than the break, having been gifted possession by the Premier League facet.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta’s forgettable night was compounded when midfielder Louie Copley needed to be helped off shortly after the 19-year-old had come on as a second-half substitute.
Regular service is resumed with a Gunners aim from the nook 👏
Piero Hincapié offers the @Arsenal followers motive to have a good time! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/b7h979i0Gv
— Premier Sports activities (@PremSportsTV) August 5, 2026
Arsenal vs Actual Betis: Pellegrini prevails
Underneath former West Ham, Manchester Metropolis and Actual Madrid head coach Manuel Pellegrini, Betis certified for the Champions League for the second time of their historical past by ending fifth in La Liga final season.
Los Verdiblancos confirmed why and will have scored extra, with Arteta often slicing a disgruntled determine in his technical space.
“It’s fascinating simply watching the Arsenal midfield,” former Eire worldwide Damien Delaney noticed early within the contest, telling Premier Sports activities that Kai Havertz and Riccardo Calafiori have been appearing as attacking quantity 10s, with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly on the base of the group.
“It is so really easy!” 🎙️
The previous West Ham man Pablo Fornals places Actual Betis 3-1 up in opposition to Arsenal 🌴🔨 pic.twitter.com/iyBeyS1nHd
— Premier Sports activities (@PremSportsTV) August 5, 2026
“You’ve received 4 in that central space in opposition to Betis’ three. [You could] see Havertz there, demanding that ball.
“It’s actually, actually powerful to play in opposition to while you get that overload in the midst of the park.”
Arsenal vs Betis: Mikel Arteta ‘deserted’ plan
Delaney famous that Arteta seemed to be talking to Calafiori after Betis’ second aim and urged the defender could have been requested to drop again.
“That’s when he deserted the set-up,” defined Delaney. “He’ll be involved with how simply Betis received at Arsenal.”
The ex-Premier League defender referred to as Deossa’s spectacular aim “as pure a strike as you’re prone to see”.
“Kepa had completely no probability,” he added. “Arsenal introduced the primary aim on themselves however there’s not an entire lot you are able to do a few strike like that.”
Actual Betis strike first on the Aviva! 🌴
Riquelme takes benefit of poor Arsenal defending on the nook to open the scoring 👀 pic.twitter.com/1ubVDayElP
— Premier Sports activities (@PremSportsTV) August 5, 2026
Arsenal crew vs Actual Betis
Arsenal have been unchanged from their 4-1 win at Girona the earlier Saturday.
Full-back Jurrien Timber remained out with a groin drawback and defender Hincapie and forwards Gyokeres and Havertz began once more, amongst their gamers to have featured on the World Cup 2026.
Brazil pair Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli had educated, with the ahead on the bench after not being a part of the matchday squad in opposition to Girona.
Arsenal beginning XI: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz, Ethan Nwaneri, Max Dowman, Christos Tzolis, Viktor Gyokeres
Arsenal substitutes: llan Meslier, Khari Ranson, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Martinelli Reiss Nelson, Demiane Agustien, Brayden Clarke, Louie Copley, Andre Harriman-Annous, Ife Ibrahim, Theo Julienne, Ismael Kabia, Josh Ogunnaike, Ceadach O’Neill
Betis full line up vs Arsenal
Winger Pablo Garcia was the one Betis participant to maintain his place from their 1-0 win over Almeria 4 days earlier.
Amongst their new signings, Facundo Bernal featured in midfield and Fran Garcia was at left-back.
Actual Betis beginning XI: Alvaro Valles, Hector Bellerin, Marc Bartra, Natan, Fran Garcia, Francisco Bernal, Gnangoro, Pablo Fornals, Pablo Garcia, Rodrigo Riquelme, Nelson Deossa
Betis substitutes: Guilherme Fernandes Yan, Diego Gonzalez, Diego Llorente, Antony, Sergio Gomez, Ismael Alarcon, Junior Firpo, Pablo Morant, Marcos Rica, Angel Ortiz
When does Arsenal’s 2026/27 Premier League season begin?
Arsenal face Manchester Metropolis within the Group Protect at Wembley Stadium on August 16 at 15:00 BST (10:00 ET / 07:00 PT).
Arteta’s crew host the primary match of the Premier League season in opposition to promoted guests. Listed here are the important thing particulars.
| Date | Opponents | BST begin time | ET | PT | UK TV channel |
| Fri, Aug 21 | Coventry Metropolis (H) | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | Sky Sports activities |
Arsenal vs Actual Betis stats
- Whereas Arsenal gained the English title final season, Betis sealed Champions League qualification with the assistance of a run of 1 defeat of their closing 9 league matches, that loss coming in opposition to champions Barcelona
- They met an English facet within the opening sport of their Europa League marketing campaign, drawing 2-2 at residence to Nottingham Forest
- That was a part of a six-match unbeaten begin in Europe, their Europa League season ending with a 5-3 combination defeat to Braga within the quarter-finals
- Betis have gained one in all their 9 aggressive conferences with English sides (D2 L7), beating Chelsea 1-0 at residence within the Champions League group stage in November 2005
- Since then, Betis have drawn 0-0 at Liverpool within the Champions League, misplaced 4-1 away and 1-0 at residence to Manchester United within the Europa League and been overwhelmed 4-1 by Chelsea within the 2024/25 Convention League closing
- Arsenal took on two Spanish sides in pre-season in 2025/26, dropping to Villarreal after regular time and in a subsequent penalty shootout on the Emirates Stadium earlier than reversing their fortunes in each situations in opposition to Athletic Membership at residence three days later
- They have been unbeaten in 4 aggressive conferences with Spanish golf equipment final season, defeating Athletic Membership and Atletico Madrid through the Champions League group stage earlier than drawing away to Atleti and beating them at residence within the semi-finals
- Having misplaced on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain within the Champions League closing in Budapest in Could, Arsenal have did not win six of their final 10 video games away from the Emirates Stadium, together with friendlies (W4 L4 D2)
- This was Arsenal’s first pre-season journey to Eire since August 2018, after they drew 1-1 with Chelsea earlier than profitable on penalties
- The Gunners gained 4-2 at Irish facet Dundalk through the Europa League group stage in 2020, scoring by Joe Willock, Folarin Balogun, Eddie Nketiah and Mo Elneny
