Arsenal suffered their first pre-season defeat, losing 1-3 to Real Betis in Dublin. The Gunners conceded early after a goalkeeping error by Kepa Arrizabalaga, who failed to claim a corner, allowing Rodrigo Riquelme to score.

Nelson Deossa extended Betis's lead with a long-range strike. Arsenal pulled one back through Piero Hincapie from a Christos Tzolis corner, but Kai Havertz's misplaced pass led to Pablo Fornals restoring Betis's two-goal advantage. Despite second-half introductions of Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal couldn't recover.

The match highlighted Arsenal's midfield struggles, particularly in the absence of key players. This performance underscores the club's pursuit of new signings, with a £75m fee agreed for Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, suggesting a need for greater depth and elite quality.