Arsenal suffered their first pre-season defeat in a 3-1 loss to Real Betis, highlighting midfield challenges as the club pursues new signings.
Key facts
- •Arsenal's goal was scored by Piero Hincapie following a corner from Christos Tzolis.
- •Real Betis goals were scored by Rodrigo Riquelme, Nelson Deossa, and Pablo Fornals.
- •Myles Lewis-Skelly completed 70 of his 74 passes during the match.
- •Arsenal has agreed to a £75 million transfer fee for Bruno Guimaraes.
- •Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli made their first pre-season appearances as second-half substitutes.
Arsenal lost 3-1 to LaLiga side Real Betis in a pre-season friendly held in Dublin. The match marked Arsenal's first defeat of the pre-season, with Real Betis securing the win through goals from Rodrigo Riquelme, Nelson Deossa, and Pablo Fornals.
By the numbers
Match performance and goals
Real Betis took the lead after Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to clear a corner, allowing Rodrigo Riquelme to score. Nelson Deossa extended the lead with a long-range strike. Arsenal responded when Piero Hincapie headed in a corner from Christos Tzolis, but Pablo Fornals restored the two-goal advantage following a misplaced pass by Kai Havertz.
Personnel and transfer updates
Mikel Arteta utilized the match to test a midfield trio of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, and Kai Havertz. While Lewis-Skelly completed 70 of 74 passes, the team struggled defensively in the absence of several players still returning from the World Cup. Arsenal has reportedly agreed to a £75 million fee with Newcastle for Bruno Guimaraes as the club seeks to bolster its midfield depth.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Sky Sports Football.
