Arsenal and Real Betis have confirmed their starting teams for their friendly at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.
The reigning Premier League champions won 4-1 in Girona on Saturday, when new signing Christos Tzolis opening his account, 16-year-old academy sensation Max Dowman produced a goal and assist and Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were also on target.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis earned Champions League qualification by finishing fifth in La Liga last season and have won four of their five pre-season matches.
Verdiblancos full-back Hector Bellerin could face his former club, having scored twice and set up three goals for Betis during their 2025/26 league campaign.
Ready to bring the N5 energy to Dublin 🇮🇪
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 5, 2026
📍 Aviva Stadium pic.twitter.com/nsbT2XshGi
Arsenal confirmed starting team vs Real Betis
Arsenal are unchanged. Full-back Jurrien Timber remains out with a groin problem and defender Piero Hincapie and forwards Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz start again, among their players to have featured at the World Cup 2026.
Brazil pair Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli have trained, with the forward on the bench after not being part of the matchday squad against Girona.
Arsenal starting 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 is the only Betis player to keep his place from their 1-0 win over Almeria on Saturday.
Among their new signings, Facundo Bernal features in midfield and Fran Garcia is at left-back.
Real Betis starting 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
Where to watch Arsenal vs Betis: TV channel, online live stream
Kick-off on Wednesdsay is at 19:30 BST (14:30 ET / 11:30 PT). Live TV coverage in the UK is on Premier Sports 1, with streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.
A Premier Sports subscription costs £130 a year, £12.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £17.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.
A discount is available for customers using the code ARSENAL. For details on the offer and where to watch the match elsewhere around the world, visit Arsenal’s website.
Arsenal vs Real Betis stats
- While Arsenal won the English title last season, Betis sealed Champions League qualification with the help of a run of one defeat in their final nine league matches, that loss coming against champions Barcelona
- They met an English side in the opening game of their Europa League campaign, drawing 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest
- That was part of a six-match unbeaten start in Europe, their Europa League season ending with a 5-3 aggregate defeat to Braga in the quarter-finals
- Betis have won one of their nine competitive meetings with English sides (D2 L7), beating Chelsea 1-0 at home in the Champions League group stage in November 2005
- Since then, Betis have drawn 0-0 at Liverpool in the Champions League, lost 4-1 away and 1-0 at home to Manchester United in the Europa League and been beaten 4-1 by Chelsea in the 2024/25 Conference League final
- Arsenal took on two Spanish sides in pre-season in 2025/26, losing to Villarreal after normal time and in a subsequent penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium before reversing their fortunes in both instances against Athletic Club at home three days later
- They were unbeaten in four competitive meetings with Spanish clubs last season, defeating Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid during the Champions League group stage before drawing away to Atleti and beating them at home in the semi-finals
- Having lost on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest in May, Arsenal have failed to win five of their last nine games away from the Emirates Stadium (W4 L3 D2)
- This is Arsenal’s first pre-season trip to Ireland since August 2018, drawing 1-1 with Chelsea before winning on penalties
- The Gunners won 4-2 at Irish side Dundalk during the Europa League group stage in 2020, scoring through Joe Willock, Folarin Balogun, Eddie Nketiah and Mo Elneny
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