Villareal beat Arsenal 3-2 in the Gunners’ penultimate friendly of the season and first at the Emirates.
The Gunners have returned from a tour of Asia that produced mixed results including a win over Newcastle and a loss against Spurs, but fans have been encouraged by a series of signings that includes striker Viktor Gyokeres, midfielder Martin Zubimendi and former Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.
And all three made their Emirates debuts, with Gyokeres handed a maiden start - but although the Swedish forward threatened at points in the second half, he was largely kept quiet.
It was another expensive signing, ex-Gunner Nicolas Pepe - who was bought for £72m - who broke the deadlock as Villareal countered superbly, with youngster Etta Eyong doubling the visitors’ advantage with a header from close range.
Christian Odegaard, also making his debut, pulled one back with a fine header from a set-piece, but Arsenal were again caught napping and it was Danjuma who capitalised with a fine finish past substitute keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. 15-year-old Max Dowman shone again on a substitute appearance, winning a penalty which Martin Odegaard slotted home, but it was too little too late despite a barrage of late pressure by the hosts. Villareal went on to win the subsequent penalty shootout, too.
Follow all the action at the Emirates with our liveblog below:
Arsenal vs Villareal LIVE
- Arsenal host Villareal in first pre-season friendly at the Emirates
- '16 GOAL! Ex-Gunner Pepe spoils Arsenal's party with opener [ARS 0-1 VIL]
- '33 GOAL! Etta Eyong doubles Villareal's lead with neat tap-in [ARS 0-2 VIL]
- '37 GOAL! Norgaard heads in from set-piece on Emirates debut [ARS 1-2 VIL]
- '67 GOAL! Danjuma with fine finish as Arsenal caught on the counter [ARS 1-3 VIL]
- '76 GOAL! Odegaard whips in penalty after Dowman brought down in box [ARS 2-3 VIL]
Arsenal's upcoming fixtures
20:26 , Flo CliffordArsenal host Athletic Club in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday 9 August.
Kick-off is scheduled for 5pm.
Villareal win the shootout! Arsenal 3-4 Villareal
20:06 , Flo CliffordCabanes scores and we’re into sudden death.... Madueke goes for the stuttering run-up, but misses!
Villareal win the game and the shootout.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT: Arsenal 3-3 Villareal
20:03 , Flo CliffordValou slams the crossbar. Gabriel has the chance to win it but Conde tips it onto the cross bar and it bounces back down - outside the goal!
PENALTY SHOOTOUT: Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
20:01 , Flo CliffordDanjuma keeps Villareal in it with a smart finish, but Merino barely hits it at all, sending it bobbling wide. Level again.
Comesana puts the visitors back in front with a languid, relaxed finish, with Kepa committed the wrong way.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT: Arsenal 2-1 Villareal
19:59 , Flo CliffordBoos as Suarez steps up... and hits the post, with Kepa going the right way!
Rice lashes into the back of the net.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT: Arsenal 1-1 Villareal
19:58 , Flo CliffordMolero slots a fine finish past Kepa. Odegaard goes for a stuttering run-up and whips it past Conde, who goes the right way.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
19:53 , Flo CliffordDon’t go anywhere, because we’re heading for a practice penalty shootout.
FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:52 , Flo Clifford90+3 mins: Conde palms the delivery away, Villareal kick it up the pitch, and that’s it!
Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:51 , Flo Clifford90+3 mins: Madueke drills it across the face of goal but Navarro gets himself in the way and it bounces off his boot for an Arsenal corner! Great defending by Navarro.
Rice goes to take...
Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:50 , Flo Clifford90+2 mins: Into the final minute. Arsenal keep pressing, Dowman floats into the box but Odegaard’s attempt to pass back is intercepted.
Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:48 , Flo Clifford90 mins: Three minutes to be added on. Arsenal are searching for the equaliser.
CLOSE! Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:45 , Flo Clifford88 mins: Dowman again! Another sweet turn of pace and Valou can’t live with him... but it’s blocked.
Timber runs down the right, but Navarro clears. All Arsenal still. Odegaard lets fly a low shot but it’s wide!
Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:43 , Flo Clifford85 mins: The crowd goes wild as Dowman makes another excellent run again, he rounds Pedraza but his shot is blocked!
Timber releases Dowman again and the 15-year-old goes down... but another penalty is not incoming.
Odegaard whips in another corner but the box is way too congested and Mosquera eventually concedes a cheap free-kick.
Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:40 , Flo Clifford82 mins: Suarez releases Buchanan with a long, low pass; he takes advantage of the space in behind ZInchenko and steps around his man, but his left-footed shot lands within Kepa’s reach.
Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:36 , Flo Clifford78 mins: Zinchenko comes on for Lewis-Skelly, Madueke for Martinelli.
Former Gunners loanee Suarez and Cabanes De La Torre are on, for Pepe and Gueye.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-3 Villareal
19:34 , Flo Clifford76 mins: A languid run-up and Conde is sent the wrong way.
PENALTY! Arsenal 1-3 Villareal
19:33 , Flo Clifford75 mins: Max Dowman wins a penalty for the hosts! Brought down just at the edge of the box by Navarro. Odegaard stands to take.
Arsenal 1-3 Villareal
19:31 , Flo Clifford74 mins: Mosquera was underneath it but a yellow shirt heads it away. Rice recycles and Arsenal are pressing again but Danjuma punts it back towards Kepa.
Arsenal continue to press relentlessly. Another corner, new keeper Conde comes a long way off his line to palm it clear.
Arsenal 1-3 Villareal
19:29 , Flo Clifford72 mins: In the midst of all that, Villareal made changes too: Conde, Navarro, Danjuma and Pedraza on, for Cardona, Marin, Gueye, and the keeper Junior.
Odegaard lofts in another delivery and there’s a bit of pinball in the box before it goes behind for a corner. Martinelli gets the better of Buchanan at the byline and wins another corner.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-3 Villareal
19:27 , Flo Clifford67 mins: Immediately after that Villareal counter beautifully, Comesana charges away and plays it forward to Danjuma, and he slots a lovely finish past Kepa... who it turns out also came on for Raya.
Arsenal come back and Dowman lashes it narrowly wide!
Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
19:25 , Flo Clifford67 mins: Mosquera clings to his man and boots the ball away.
Lewis-Skelly is brought down and wins a free-kick. Odegaard curls it in but it’s headed away... Dowman recycles it but Mourino flicks it on for his keeper to collect.
Now Martinelli sprints onto a long ball and cuts it across for Dowman, but the teenager is a bit too wide and Pedraza makes the vital clearnace.
Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
19:21 , Flo Clifford63 mins: Subs! Gyokeres, Nwaneri, Saka, Kiwior, and Saliba vacate the pitch. Gabriel makes his first pre-season appearance after the behind-closed-doors match against Watford. 15-year-old Dowman is on, just his second Emirates appearance. Rice, Odegaard and Timber complete the swaps.
SAVE! Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
19:19 , Flo Clifford61 mins: Arsenal with a free-kick... Nwaneri curls it towards goal but it’s a routine stop for Junior.
Pepe wins the ball back in midfield and charges forward, but Arsenal are onto him and Kiwior launches it away. Oohs and ahhs from the crowd as Arsenal come forward.
Now Merino releases Gyokeres but it’s saved - and Merino goes for another low shot but Junior palms it away!
Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
19:16 , Flo Clifford58 mins: Arsenal are getting a little bit frustrated. Lewis-Skelly goes crunching in on Pepe. Now Saka goes down after a tackle by Cardona, the ref ignores his protestations, and he responds by leaving Gueye on the floor.
This man has been kept fairly quiet but now he steals the ball back... and runs into a yellow shirt.
Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
19:13 , Flo Clifford55 mins: Mosquera clatters Cardona and there’s a brief break for him to recover.
Gueye gets the first yellow of the day for nicking the back of Martinelli’s boot.
Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
19:08 , Flo Clifford49 mins: And changes for Villareal: Comesana and Buchanan are on for Parejo and Moreno.
Mourino is down for Villareal as Arsenal prepare to take a throw-in. Nwaneri bursts into life down the right and ducks past Moleiro, but a yellow shirt clears his ball into the box. Arsenal are probing at the moment.
Nwaneri darts in again and Junior gets down low to save; it bounces off him and Marin makes the clearance!
SECOND HALF: Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
19:03 , Flo CliffordChanges for Arsenal: Zubimendi replaces goalscorer Norgaard, and he too makes his Emirates debut. White is off for Mosquera.
Gyokeres is still on.
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
18:48 , Flo CliffordVillareal lead at the break! Largely courtesy of £72m ex-Gunner Nicolas Pepe, who broke the deadlock, with 21-year-old Etta Eyong doubling their lead on another strong counter.
Christian Norgaard, on his Emirates debut, is the only Arsenal man to have anything to show for their pressure in the box, with a fine header from a set-piece.
Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
18:46 , Flo Clifford45 mins: Gyokeres darts inside but is under pressure from Gueye and it bobbles away, Villareal clearing.
Shouts for a penalty as Martinelli flops on the ground on the edge of the box, under pressure from Moreno. The ref is unmoved. Good call.
Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
18:43 , Flo Clifford42 mins: Saliba curls a long ball forward and it bounces for Saka but he’s closed down.
Now Gyokeres has an attempt from the edge of the box but it clatters off his defender! That’s only his 10th touch of the game, apparently.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Villareal
18:38 , Flo Clifford37 mins: Arsenal desperately press to reduce their deficit, but Villareal do well to get back and defend... but it goes out for a corner.
Norgaard meets Martinelli’s inswinging delivery and heads in at the post! A first goal for the Gunners, on his first start!
GOAL! Arsenal 0-2 Villareal
18:36 , Flo Clifford33 mins: The visitors get the double! Cardona is left unmarked charging down the right and plays a weighted pass to Moreno, who slams it goalwards.
Raya initially makes the save but only scoops it out and is left backpedalling, while Eyong is there to tap in the rebound. Another rather muted, relaxed celebration. Businesslike.
WIDE! Arsenal 0-1 Villareal
18:34 , Flo Clifford32 mins: Arsenal win another free-kick, in a decent spot out on the left. It’s taken short and makes its way into the box.
Norgaard attempts something from the edge of the box but it looks to take a deflection and skies away.
Villareal counter but Parejo runs out of enthusiasm and skews it tamely wide.
Arsenal 0-1 Villareal
18:30 , Flo Clifford29 mins: Cardona is getting lively. A cross is cleared by Kiwior but only out for a corner. Cardona curls in the set-piece and Gyokeres heads away; a yellow shirt recycles with an acrobatic curling kick backwards into the area, but Raya collects.
White and Saka combine nicely down the right with a sweet one-two, but Martinelli’s header from White’s cross is poor.
The volume goes up a notch as Lewis-Skelly drives into the box but the move peters out. Arsenal aren’t quite clicking in the final third.
SAVE! Arsenal 0-1 Villareal
18:26 , Flo Clifford24 mins: Saka cuts in on his left and this looks promising... but Junior dives and gets a hand to it.
That Nwaneri free-kick was headed towards Junior by Villareal defender Foyth, slightly risky defending!
Arsenal 0-1 Villareal
18:23 , Flo Clifford22 mins: That was a poor piece of defending from Arsenal, and it’s their £72m former signing who capitalises.
Cardona hauls down Nwaneri and concedes a free-kick. It looks like the ref tells Moreno, Villareal’s captain, to have a word with his player.
It’s a better delivery from Nwaneri after last time but the header is straight into Junior’s hands.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Villareal
18:20 , Flo Clifford16 mins: Hit on the counter! Villareal turn over the ball and Lewis-Skelly is way too tentative in trying to defend it; Gueye slams the ball against the post but it bounces out for Cardona to whip a cross back in, and after a lot of pinball in the box it’s the former gunner Pepe who slams it into the back of the net!
A very muted celebration from the former Gunner.
Arsenal 0-0 Villareal
18:16 , Flo Clifford15 mins: Saka floats into the area with those dancing feet, White running round for back-up, and crosses in... but Gyokeres and Norgaard get in each other’s way and it sails out of play. Slight bit of miscommunication there for this new-look side.
Arsenal 0-0 Villareal
18:14 , Flo Clifford13 mins: Cardona concedes a free-kick with a challenge on White. In the absence of Rice and Odegaard on the pitch, Nwaneri stands over it... but Junior claims his lofty pass with ease.
CHANCE! Arsenal 0-0 Villareal
18:12 , Flo Clifford11 mins: Chance! Saka is left unmarked and has acres of space to sprint through, but while Gyokeres is there, no-one’s quite quick enough to run onto his cross. A yellow shirt makes the vital clearance.
Arsenal 0-0 Villareal
18:10 , Flo Clifford9 mins: Nwaneri has a go from range but it skims wide, and rushes into the area but finds himself blocked.
There’s a decent atmosphere in here tonight, on a lovely sunny evening in north London.
Nwaneri hoofs a long ball to Saka, who darts round Marin near the backline - but Villareal clear his dangerous cross. A promising move.
CHANCE! Arsenal 0-0 Villareal
18:07 , Flo Clifford6 mins: Villareal get out of their half and put Arsenal’s back line under some pressure of their own, drawing a free-kick from Saliba.
A Villareal player misplaces a long pass in midfield and White is the beneficiary, building an Arsenal attack.
Martinelli and Merino combine nicely on the left, skewering in a cross, and Saka tries to guide it in but the angle is slightly awkward and it’s over the bar!
Arsenal 0-0 Villareal
18:03 , Flo Clifford2 mins: Arsenal apply some pressure as Merino lofts the ball into the area and Junior punches away.
Merino down the left again cuts it inside for Gyokeres, but no-one is in space to receive his pass. A positive start by Arsenal.
Now Martinelli runs down that left channel again and zooms past his man. Arteta will be happy with the intention shown so far.
KICK-OFF: Arsenal vs Villareal
18:02 , Flo CliffordHere we go!
Minutes to kick-off
17:55 , Flo Clifford
Team news reminder
17:50 , Flo CliffordArsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Gyokeres
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Timber, Gabriel, Mosquera, Zinchenko, Lokonga, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Madueke, Rice, Dowman, Harriman-Annous
Villareal XI: Junior; Marin, Foyth, Mourino, Cardona; Eyong, Parejo, Gueye; Pepe, Moreno, Moleiro
Substitutes: Navarro, Suarez, Danjuma, Altimira, Conde, Comesana, Buchanan, Pedraza, Valou, Gomez, Cabanes
Warm-up in progress
17:45 , Flo Clifford
Ex-Arsenal players in action
17:45 , Flo CliffordEx-Gunner Nicolas Pepe is in action for Villareal, while Denis Suarez, a one-time loanee to Arsenal, makes the visitors’ bench.
Former Spurs player Juan Foyth is in the starting XI and might be in for his fair share of jeering and booing tonight.
Shadow hanging over friendly
17:40 , Flo CliffordToday’s game has a shadow over it after reports that former Arsenal player Thomas Partey, who has been charged with five counts of rape and an additional sexual assault charge, is set to join Villareal.
He was granted conditional bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier this week. The offences were alleged to have been committed while he was an Arsenal player.
Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence held a banner outside the hearing protesting the club’s conduct, while a spokeswoman said, “We protested outside almost every home game last season because we wanted to disrupt the wall of silence that the club has put up around this issue, and we did that because we want to support our club and feel happy and comfortable supporting our club.”
The Guardian reports that “hundreds” of Villareal supporters have signed a petition against his signing, while others have protested on social media.
Partey’s lawyer has said he denies all the carges against him.
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey granted conditional bail
Underwhelming Viktor Gyokeres debut shows why Arsenal need him so much
17:35 , Richard JollyRichard Jolly with the essential debrief on Gyokeres’ debut:
A debut defeat and an outing that was underwhelming but left the sense he was underused may matter little. When it comes to competitive games, Viktor Gyokeres’s Arsenal bow will come at Old Trafford against Manchester United on 17 August. But as he donned their No 14 shirt for the first time in a game, Arsenal at least showed the need for Gyokeres, the forward who scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting CP.
The first north London derby staged outside the United Kingdom yielded a 1-0 loss to Tottenham, with Arsenal registering a lone shot on target, which Kai Havertz directed at Guglielmo Vicario. Gyokeres was limited to the last 20 minutes, including stoppage time, as Arsenal were largely toothless. The argument that they needed a specialist goalscorer is scarcely new, but perhaps it was underlined when they spent an initial £55m to acquire one.
Underwhelming Viktor Gyokeres debut shows why Arsenal need him so much
Last time out...
17:25 , Flo CliffordArsenal’s previous fixture was a 1-0 loss to Spurs in the first-ever north London derby held abroad, in Hong Kong.
Gyokeres couldn’t make the difference - but this man did:
Outrageous from Pape Sarr 😮💨
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 31, 2025
Don't miss the action – watch the second half live on SPURSPLAY 📺
Inside Arsenal’s move for Viktor Gyokeres - and why he will change the title race
17:15 , Miguel DelaneyWhen Arsenal finally accelerated plans to get a striker this summer, they had one fixed line. That was not to go above £65m. Such a figure might make it sound like they weren’t that serious about a striker - and there have been some questions about the exact level of the talented Viktor Gyokeres - but then this wasn’t quite about getting the striker anymore. It was about options, and having enough to finally win the title.
This is the defining trait of Arsenal’s summer so far, which is that Mikel Arteta is determined to address the key flaws of last season.
Having claimed 89 points in 2023-24, Arsenal fell away because they didn’t have enough depth, with overuse ultimately leading to fitness issues, and not enough forward options. Their benches at the end of the season were often strikingly thin, resulting in the attack becoming overly dependent on Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. That in turn made Arsenal easier to predict, which only accentuated their problems.
So, Arteta has already brought in more bodies, which is why Cristhian Mosquera and Noni Madueke have signed. They alleviate pressure in terms of wear. Next is the pressure he wants to exert on opposition.
Inside Arsenal’s move for Viktor Gyokeres - and why he will change the title race
Viktor Gyokeres makes Arsenal debut but can’t prevent friendly loss to rivals Tottenham Hotspur
17:05 , Flo CliffordViktor Gyokeres made his Arsenal debut from the bench but could not prevent his new side from falling to a 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat to rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The 27-year-old Sweden striker completed his £55m transfer from Sporting Lisbon on Saturday and was presented to fans ahead of the Gunners’ 3-2 win over Newcastle in Singapore the day after.
Gyokeres only had limited training time with his new club prior to the game in Hong Kong, but Mikel Arteta sent the striker on with 13 minutes remaining.
Arteta made five changes at 77 minutes, with the logical swap seeing Kai Havertz make way for Gyokeres in attack.
Gyokeres was unable to make an impact following Pape Matar Sarr’s opener in the first half, which saw the Spurs midfielder’s long-range effort catch David Raya out of goal.
-handles-the-ball-during-to-the-pre-season-friendly.jpeg?trim=502,887,1094,1508&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
Viktor Gyokeres makes Arsenal debut but can’t prevent friendly loss to Spurs
Team news - Villareal
17:02 , Flo CliffordVillareal XI: Junior; Marin, Foyth, Mourino, Cardona; Eyong, Parejo, Gueye; Pepe, Moreno, Moleiro
Substitutes: Navarro, Suarez, Danjuma, Altimira, Conde, Comesana, Buchanan, Pedraza, Valou, Gomez, Cabanes
Team news - Gyokeres starts for Arsenal
16:54 , Flo CliffordThe major news for Arsenal is that Viktor Gyokeres, after coming off the bench for 20 minutes against Spurs in Hong Kong, has been handed a maiden start for the Gunners.
Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhaes come into the matchday squad after not featuring on the Asian tour, while Christian Norgaard also makes the starting lineup and Noni Madueke is in the squad for the first time since his move from Chelsea. He’s on the bench.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Cristhian Mosquera are also on a rather stacked bench, as is 15-year-old talent Max Dowman.
Team news - Arsenal
16:50 , Flo CliffordArsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Gyokeres
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Timber, Gabriel, Mosquera, Zinchenko, Lokonga, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Madueke, Rice, Dowman, Harriman-Annous
Arsenal transfer news: Eberechi Eze, Rodrygo, Ollie Watkins and more
16:30 , Flo CliffordArsenal are setting in motion the first steps of a productive summer as they look to buck their trend of second-place finishes next term.
It was once again a case of close but not close enough for Mikel Arteta’s side in 2024/25. Finishing second fiddle to the Premier League champions for a third successive season, the Gunners endured another trophyless campaign after their Champions League push fell at the hands of eventual winners PSG.
A key reason for their failure to achieve was an attacking injury crisis that forced Mikel Merino to take up a role of makeshift number nine, and despite their undeniable quality in the starting XI, Arsenal’s depth is far from good enough for a team hopeful of major titles.
Here’s a deep dive into Arsenal’s summer business:
Arsenal’s preseason fixtures and results
16:10 , Flo CliffordAll kick-off times BST
July 23: Arsenal 1-0 AC Milan - Singapore National Stadium, Singapore, 12:30pm
July 27: Arsenal 3-2 Newcastle United - Singapore National Stadium, Singapore, 12:30pm
July 31: Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur - Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong, 12:30pm
August 6: Villarreal - Emirates Stadium, London, 6pm
August 9: Athletic Bilbao - Emirates Stadium, London, 5pm
Arsenal team news
15:55 , Flo CliffordNew signing Viktor Gyokeres could make his first start for Arsenal after featuring for 20 minutes last time out, while Cristhian Mosquera and Martin Zubimendi will also be hoping for more game time after coming off the bench. Noni Madueke could also make his home debut.
In addition, the trio of Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Magalhaes and Kepa Arrizabalaga are available after a spell on the sidelines.
Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori will be assessed after picking up knocks in the loss to Spurs.
When is Arsenal vs Villareal
15:40 , Flo CliffordThe match will take place on Wednesday, 6 August at the Emirates Stadium in London, with kick-off set for 6pm BST.
How can I watch it?
The match will not be shown on TV in the UK, but it will be shown live on Arsenal.com and the official app, and can be streamed for £6.99.
Arsenal vs Villareal LIVE
15:30 , Flo CliffordHello and welcome to live coverage of Arsenal’s penultimate pre-season friendly!
Fresh from their tour of Asia, they welcome Villareal to the Emirates for tonight’s 6pm clash.
