Arsenal faced Girona on Saturday, August 1, 2026, in their opening public pre-season match ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. The Arsenal vs Girona friendly was played at the Estadi Montilivi in Spain, giving Premier League champions Arsenal their first public outing of pre-season under Mikel Arteta.
Girona, meanwhile, entered the contest looking to begin preparations for life in the Segunda División following relegation last season. The Arsenal vs Girona clash also allowed both clubs to assess new combinations and younger players during the early stages of pre-season.
Arsenal vs Girona Team News and Lineups
Arsenal named a youthful squad, with several first-team regulars unavailable after extended breaks following the FIFA World Cup. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, David Raya and new signing Martín Zubimendi had not yet returned to training.
Defenders William Saliba and Jurriën Timber also remained sidelined through injury.
Gabriel Jesus spearheaded Arsenal’s attack with multiple academy prospects, whereas Girona chose a strong lineup for the friendly.
Match Background and How to Watch
The two clubs had previously met once in competitive football, with Arsenal recording a 2–1 victory in the UEFA Champions League at the Estadi Montilivi in 2025.
Supporters in the United Kingdom could watch the Arsenal vs Girona match live through Arsenal’s official website and the Arsenal App on a pay-per-view basis. In the United States, the match was available on Fox Deportes and streaming services including Fubo. The friendly marked the first step in Arsenal’s preparations before further pre-season fixtures later in the summer.
Full-Time Update
Arsenal completed an impressive 4-1 victory over Girona at the Estadi Montilivi after a dominant display in their pre-season friendly. Mikel Arteta’s side controlled large spells of the contest, with academy prospect Max Dowman and debutant Christos Tzolis playing key roles before a host of second-half substitutions helped see out the win.
Key Match Moments
1’–10′ Early Pressure: Arsenal dominate possession, forcing Girona deep into their own half.
16′ Goal – Girona 0-1 Arsenal: Max Dowman plays a superb through ball to Kai Havertz, who calmly finishes into the far corner.
22′ Missed Chance – Arsenal: Christos Tzolis opts to square the ball for Viktor Gyökeres instead of shooting, and the opportunity goes begging.
30′ Goal – Girona 0-2 Arsenal: Tzolis cuts inside from the left and scores with a deflected low strike.
33′ Triple Substitution – Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus, Fábio Vieira and Matt Salmon replace Viktor Gyökeres, Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapié.
35’–45′ End of First Half: Arsenal recover from a misplaced back pass by Max Dowman to preserve their two-goal lead.
46’–48′ Girona Pressure: The hosts begin the second half strongly, forcing an offside and winning consecutive corners.
50′ Goal – Girona 1-2 Arsenal: Arnau Martínez heads home from Kim Min-Su’s corner to reduce the deficit.
53′ Goal – Girona 1-3 Arsenal: Dowman restores Arsenal’s two-goal advantage with a superb long-range finish after being set up by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
55′ Goal – Girona 1-4 Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus capitalizes on a defensive mistake after Ben White wins possession high up the pitch.
62′ Mass Substitution – Arsenal: Meslier, Clarke, Copley, Ogunnaike, Annous, O’Neill, Kabia, Nelson and Ibrahim replace Kepa, Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Max Dowman, Christos Tzolis and Fábio Vieira.
65’–90′ Final Phase: Arsenal’s youthful lineup controls possession comfortably, while Girona’s late corner and offside trap fail to produce another goal.
90′ Full-Time: Arsenal secure a convincing 4-1 victory over Girona to continue their preparations for the 2026-27 season.
Arsenal vs Girona Results Today: Pre-Season Friendly Live Score, Updates, Stats