Arsenal suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in Dublin as a series of defensive mistakes overshadowed an otherwise promising start to their pre-season preparations.
Manager Mikel Arteta was left frustrated after watching his side concede three first-half goals, revealing afterwards that the players were deeply disappointed with their display and determined to respond before the new campaign begins.
The Gunners began brightly, controlling possession early on and creating the first major chance through new striker Viktor Gyokeres, whose close-range effort was kept out by Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles. Despite enjoying more of the ball, Arsenal struggled to match the Spanish side’s efficiency in front of goal.
Betis opened the scoring after only nine minutes from a corner when Rodrigo Riquelme capitalised on a misjudged attempt by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to claim the cross. Arsenal, usually reliable at defending set pieces, were caught out again later in the half.
Christos Tzolis, who impressed in Arsenal’s previous friendly against Girona, came close to equalising after intercepting a loose pass from Valles but failed to convert the opportunity. Instead, Betis doubled their lead midway through the first half when Nelson Deossa punished another poor clearance from Kepa with a powerful long-range strike into the top corner.
Arsenal briefly reduced the deficit through defender Piero Hincapié, who headed home from a Tzolis corner after Valles failed to deal with the delivery. However, their hopes of building momentum were short-lived as another defensive error allowed Pablo Fornals to restore Betis’ two-goal advantage before the interval after Kai Havertz misplaced a pass near his own penalty area.
Arteta selected the same starting line-up that defeated Girona 4-1 last week, but the performance lacked the defensive organisation and attacking sharpness shown in Spain. The squad remained without several key internationals, including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi, who are still on extended leave following the World Cup. Captain Martin Ødegaard has resumed individual training but was not yet available.
The Arsenal boss made seven substitutions at half-time, handing first pre-season appearances to Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhães following Brazil’s World Cup campaign. Teenagers Marli Salmon and Louie Copley also featured, although Copley’s outing lasted only seven minutes before he was forced off with a knee injury after an awkward landing.
Frequent substitutions disrupted the rhythm of the second half, and despite Gabriel Jesus testing the Betis defence, Arsenal were unable to mount a comeback against Manuel Pellegrini’s well-organised side, who looked clinical throughout and comfortably protected their advantage.
Although the result was disappointing, Arteta believes the defeat can serve as a valuable lesson, with Arsenal aiming to tighten their defensive standards before competitive action begins.