Arsenal vs Real Betis: Pre-season Friendly Preview, Team News, and Lineups

After a strong start to their pre-season with a win over Girona, Arsenal aim to keep their perfect record intact when they face Real Betis at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday evening. The Gunners opened their summer campaign with a 4-1 victory against Girona, while Betis are already deep into their preparations with six games played, winning four of their first five matches.

Recent Form and Key Moments

The Premier League holders have impressed with consecutive three-goal wins. New signing Christos Tzolis scored his first goal in an unofficial match, while young talent Max Dowman caught attention again with a goal and an assist during the 4-1 win at Girona’s Estadio Montilivi. Veteran forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz also contributed to the scoreline.

Arsenal’s previous outings include a 3-0 win behind closed doors against MK Dons. This friendly will be their third game at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, following a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in 2018 and a 4-2 Europa League victory over Dundalk in 2020.

The transfer saga involving Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior remains a hot topic among fans, though manager Mikel Arteta brushed off questions about it recently.

Real Betis’ Summer So Far

Manuel Pellegrini has guided Betis through a busy pre-season, with victories over Lotte, Recreativo de Huelva, Lyon, and Almeria. Their only defeat came against Granada on July 25. A late winner by Ivan Corralejo secured a 1-0 triumph over Almeria, highlighting Betis’ growing momentum ahead of their Champions League return after finishing fifth in La Liga last season.

Before the new La Liga season kicks off against Real Sociedad on August 21, Betis will test themselves against European competition in friendlies against Arsenal, Bournemouth, and Inter Milan.

This upcoming match marks the first-ever meeting between Arsenal and Real Betis, although there is a chance they could meet again in the Champions League group stage after the draw on August 27.

Recent Friendly Results

• Arsenal: Win, Win
• Real Betis: Win, Win, Loss, Win, Win

Team News

After World Cup duty, players like Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, and Piero Hincapie were given limited time against Girona, as part of planned rotations. None of the World Cup participants are expected to play on Wednesday. Defender Jurrien Timber was absent due to ongoing groin rehabilitation, while Ben White returned from a long-term knee injury to play 61 minutes without issues. Youngster Marli Salmon could step in if needed.

For Betis, defender Diego Llorente left the game against Almeria late on due to fatigue but is not thought to have a serious problem. They remain without World Cup finalist Giovani Lo Celso, Aitor Ruibal (knee), Diego Conde (shoulder), and Abde Ezzalzouli (knee). Former Real Madrid player Isco featured for the first time this pre-season and might start. Ex-Arsenal full-back Hector Bellerin could reunite with his old club; he scored twice and assisted three times in La Liga last season.

Predicted Lineups

• Arsenal: Kepa; Mosquera, Salmon, Hincapie, Calafiori; Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Havertz; Dowman, Jesus, Tzolis
• Real Betis: Gonzalez; Bellerin, Natan, Gomez, F. Garcia; Roca, Bernal; Antony, Isco, Fornals; Hernandez

Prediction

Arsenal’s energetic attack has looked sharp, but they will face stiff opposition from a seasoned Real Betis side that has already played several pre-season matches. Fatigue could affect Betis as this will be their sixth friendly, giving Arsenal a slight edge. We think Arsenal will extend their unbeaten run with a 3-1 win.