Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund: A Preseason Showdown

Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund meet at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in a friendly that feels anything but gentle. Two clubs with Champions League ambitions, two managers demanding sharpness in early August, and a fanbase on each side eager for a glimpse of what’s coming.

Kick-off is set for 2pm ET on August 9 in North London, with the action available via Arsenal.com and the club’s official app for subscribers.

Arsenal still piecing the champions back together

The Premier League champions are easing their way into preseason with a squad that still looks incomplete. The World Cup has taken its toll on Mikel Arteta’s options, and several of his biggest names remain unavailable after going deep into the tournament.

Mikel Merino, David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka are all still absent after their summer exploits, leaving Arsenal’s spine and attacking edge looking lighter than it will when the real business starts. William Saliba, such a towering presence at the back last season, is sidelined with a back injury, removing yet another pillar from Arteta’s preferred XI.

The preparation has been mixed. Wins over MK Dons and Girona offered the usual early-summer blend of sharp finishing and experimental lineups, but a 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in Dublin snapped any illusion of a smooth, untroubled buildup. This meeting with Dortmund, under the lights of a packed Emirates, is the sharpest test yet.

One key figure has reappeared at just the right time. Martin Odegaard is back in training after his World Cup campaign with Norway, and his return should restore some rhythm and authority to Arsenal’s midfield, even if his minutes are carefully managed.

Dortmund’s roaming preseason, familiar edge

Dortmund arrive in London without having played a single preseason match at home. Their summer has been a tour, not a warm-up. Wins over Rot-Weiss Oberhausen and FC Tokyo have been offset by defeats to Fortuna Dusseldorf and Cerezo Osaka, leaving a picture of a side still finding its balance.

The squad looks different. Julian Brandt has moved on to Ajax, Karim Adeyemi has joined Barcelona, and Niklas Sule has dropped several tiers to Tiefenbach. Those departures strip away some of the familiarity from recent Dortmund lineups and open the door for new and younger faces to stake their claim.

There has been movement on the American front as well. Forward Cole Campbell has departed for Bundesliga newcomers Elversberg, while 17-year-old winger Mathis Albert has been included in the squad, a clear signal that Dortmund are willing to trust youth on a big stage.

Edin Terzic will have to cope without injured duo Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can, two figures who normally bring stability and bite through the spine of the team. Even so, Dortmund do not arrive short on quality. Serhou Guirassy and Waldermar Anton have both featured prominently in preseason, and Felix Nmecha — attracting interest from Newcastle — continues to get valuable minutes as he grows into his role.

A friendly in name, a measuring stick in reality

On paper, this is just another preseason date. In reality, it offers both clubs a clear look at their depth, their tactical tweaks, and their resilience without key men.

Arsenal will lean on squad players and emerging talents to carry the champions’ badge in front of their own supporters, while Dortmund test a reshaped group in one of Europe’s most demanding arenas. For those on the fringes, this is not a warm-up. It is an audition.

By the final whistle on Sunday, Arteta and Terzic will know a little more about who is ready, who is rusty, and who might yet change the shape of their season.