Arsenal are preparing to hand pre-season minutes to two key figures who have yet to feature this summer, with Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli both in line to make their first appearances of the off-season campaign when the Gunners face Real Betis in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium.
The fixture, scheduled for 7:30pm BST on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, gives Mikel Arteta another opportunity to assess his squad's progress ahead of the new season, with the match available to watch via the Arsenal app.
Captain Martin Odegaard, who has been away on holiday following the World Cup, is expected to return to training this week but is not expected to be involved against the Spanish side due to insufficient preparation time with the group. His absence opens the door for Ethan Nwaneri to continue impressing in a central midfield role, an opportunity the young Englishman has been given repeatedly throughout the pre-season schedule.
In attack, summer arrival Christos Tzolis and academy prospect Max Dowman both found the net in Arsenal's commanding 4-1 victory over Girona in their previous outing. Despite that eye-catching display, Tzolis could be the one making way this time, with Martinelli poised to reclaim his preferred position on the left flank as he builds towards full match fitness.
Defensively, Gabriel's potential inclusion would mark a welcome boost for Arteta, who has otherwise been dealing with a stretched backline during the pre-season period. William Saliba remains sidelined through injury, while Jurrien Timber is considered a doubt for the clash, adding further significance to Gabriel's possible return alongside the back line.
Based on the expected setup, Arsenal could line up with Kepa in goal, protected by a defensive unit featuring Salmon, Mosquera, Gabriel and Calafiori. In midfield, the trio of Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri and Havertz would offer a blend of youthful energy and experience, while further forward Dowman, Gyokeres and Martinelli would spearhead the attacking line.
The friendly represents another step in Arsenal's preparations as they fine-tune combinations and assess fitness levels before competitive action resumes. With several fringe and academy players continuing to feature prominently throughout these warm-up fixtures, Arteta appears keen to maintain competition for places across multiple positions, particularly with injury concerns limiting his options at centre-back.
The test against Betis, a side with European pedigree of their own, should provide a useful gauge of where Arsenal stand tactically and physically as the new campaign edges closer. Supporters will be particularly keen to see how Martinelli moves after his period on the sidelines, given his importance to Arteta's attacking plans on the left side of the pitch.
Meanwhile, the continued involvement of academy graduates like Dowman and the emergence of Salmon and Mosquera in defensive roles suggest Arteta is using this pre-season window not just for fitness purposes, but also to evaluate depth options that could prove valuable across a long and demanding season ahead.
As Arsenal look to build on their pre-season form following the win over Girona, all eyes will be on the Aviva Stadium to see how the squad melds together against a Betis outfit that will offer a different kind of European test compared to previous friendly opponents.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.