Vinicius saga looms as Arsenal stumble against Betis in Dublin

In the rain‑soaked Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Arsenal faced Real Betis on Wednesday, a friendly that ended 3‑1 to the Spanish side. The match unfolded amid swirling speculation over Vinicius, with Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta‑led squad unable to sustain the momentum shown in earlier warm‑up games.

The encounter began 15 minutes late after the Betis squad was stuck in traffic on the way to the Aviva Stadium, pushing the kickoff further into the afternoon. Once the teams took the field, the delay set a sluggish tone for the first half.

Arsenal’s opening half was marred by several defensive lapses, which Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis side exploited to take a decisive lead. The English side paid dearly for a sloppy first half, conceding the advantage that defined the match.

Betis opened the scoring when Rodrigo Riquelme headed the ball from the second post after a corner in which Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to clear. Minutes later, Nelson Deossa doubled the lead with a powerful strike from outside the area, putting the visitors firmly in control.

Arsenal pulled one back in the 33rd minute as Piero Hincapié headed home a Christos Tzolis corner, marking his first goal for the Gunners. However, Kai Havertz lost possession on the break, allowing Deossa to retrieve the ball and assist Pablo Fornals, who finished to make it 3‑1 before halftime.

The second half saw Arsenal dominate possession and press high, yet clear chances remained scarce against a well‑organized Betis defence. Arteta rotated his squad, giving minutes to Gabriel and Martinelli, while Louie Copley suffered an apparent injury and Valentin Gómez, the only Argentine on the pitch, added late minutes for the Andalusians.

The defeat arrives as Arsenal’s transfer activity intensifies, with the club still hunting Vinicius, whose contract with Real Madrid runs until 2027 and whose renewal has not been signed. Arsenal also maintains interest in Bruno Guimarães, while Arteta is said to have outlined the role Vini would play should he join.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, has refused to adjust its salary‑cap limit for the negotiation, reiterating the principle “Nadie por encima del club”. The Spanish side’s stance underscores the financial obstacle that still blocks a potential move.

Looking ahead, Arsenal’s preparation continues with two more friendlies: a clash with Borussia Dortmund on 9 August followed by a match against Como on 12 August, the final rehearsals before the season proper begins.