Mikel Arteta expressed that his Arsenal players were “fuming” after they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in a preseason match in Dublin on Wednesday, largely due to defensive mistakes.
The Gunners fell behind early as goals from Rodrigo Riquelme and Nelson Deossa gave Betis a two-goal lead, although Piero Hincapié managed to score one back for Arsenal.
However, they went into halftime trailing 3-1 after Pablo Fornals netted Betis’s third goal just before the break.
When asked about the atmosphere in the dressing room during halftime, Arteta remarked: “Very upset, given a hard time. They are fuming, but that’s positive. That’s what we need.”
Arteta fielded the same starting lineup that secured a 4-1 victory over Girona on Friday, featuring players such as Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyökeres, and new acquisition Christos Tzolis.
Arteta made several substitutions throughout the match, including providing defender Gabriel with his first playing time since Brazil’s World Cup round-of-16 loss to Norway.
The match began on a rocky note for Arsenal; in the ninth minute, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to clear a corner, allowing Riquelme to score from the back post.
Tzolis had a chance to equalize when Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles mistakenly passed the ball directly to him, but he could not capitalize on it. Deossa later fired a stunning 30-yard goal into the top corner, extending Betis’s lead to 2-0.
Arsenal found a way back when Valles misjudged Tzolis’s corner, leading to Hincapié’s header. However, Betis restored their two-goal cushion before halftime when Fornals capitalized on a misplaced pass from Havertz to score.
Arteta’s extensive changes at halftime disrupted the flow of the match, with neither team able to create notable scoring opportunities in the second half.
– Arsenal suffers disappointment against Real Betis in preseason
– Arsenal strikes agreement with Newcastle to acquire Bruno Guimarães – sources
– Upcoming Premier League preseason friendlies for 2026-27: Fixtures, UK kickoff times, and summer schedule
“Ultimately, the key is to win, and we did not achieve that, so we are clearly disappointed with the result,” Arteta commented. “It’s true that we utilized 25 players, which requires some context for the match.”
“In the first half, with more starters on the pitch, there were notable differences in our performance and competitive edge. We had some fantastic moments during our time on the field. However, our competitiveness, especially in and around our box during set pieces, reflected standards we strive for. There are areas for improvement, but we also found positives from this match. A disappointing result can sometimes ignite a greater determination within the team.”
Information from PA contributed to this report.