Arsenal hosted Villarreal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, in a lively preseason friendly that ended in a 3-2 defeat for the Gunners. The Spanish side struck first through former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pépé, who calmly slotted home in the 16th minute to open the scoring against his old club. Villarreal continued to punish Arsenal’s defensive lapses when Karl Etta Eyong doubled the lead before the half-hour mark. Despite being a friendly, the pace was high and both sides approached the match with a competitive edge, aiming to sharpen tactics ahead of the upcoming season.
Arsenal responded through Christian Nørgaard in the 36th minute, the Danish midfielder heading in from a Martinelli corner. Nørgaard, one of the Gunners’ new summer signings, impressed with his aerial threat and set-piece timing. Arsenal seemed to regain some rhythm heading into the break, but defensive mistakes persisted after halftime. Jakub Kiwior came under heavy criticism for his role in Villarreal’s goals, as the backline struggled to cope with counterattacks. In the 68th minute, Arnaut Danjuma made it 3-1 with a clinical finish, capping off a well-constructed move from Villarreal.
Viktor Gyökeres made his full debut for Arsenal and played for roughly an hour, but the Swedish striker failed to make a significant impact. His best chance came around the hour mark but was easily saved, and his link-up play looked disjointed. On the other hand, young talents Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman stood out in the second half. Nwaneri controlled the tempo well in midfield with maturity beyond his years, while 15-year-old Dowman made a key contribution by drawing a penalty shortly after coming on.
Martin Ødegaard stepped up to convert the penalty in the 76th minute, giving Arsenal a lifeline and closing the gap to 3-2. Despite dominating possession and territory for much of the match, Arsenal lacked urgency in the final third and failed to find an equalizer. Mikel Arteta expressed frustration post-match, calling his team’s defensive performance “naive” and highlighting the need for sharper positioning and decision-making in transition.
This loss serves as a wake-up call for the Gunners just days before their final preseason match against Athletic Club. Villarreal, meanwhile, showed sharpness and discipline, exploiting Arsenal’s weaknesses with clinical precision. While the defeat will sting, the performances of Nørgaard, Nwaneri, and Dowman offered positives. However, the questions around defensive structure and finishing must be addressed quickly if Arsenal hopes to start their season on solid footing.
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Watch and Download Arsenal vs Villarreal full match replay and highlights, At Thursday, August 07, 2025. The match played at Emirates Stadium in Friendly.
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