Arsenal vs Dortmund: Pre-Season Clash at Emirates Stadium
Arsenal roll back into the Emirates Stadium on Sunday with a reminder that even pre-season can carry a bit of bite. The Premier League champions host Borussia Dortmund in North London, a friendly in name but anything but low-key in profile.
Kick-off is set for 2pm ET on Sunday, August 9, with the Emirates crowd getting its first close look at Mikel Arteta’s side on home turf this summer. The match is available on Arsenal.com and the official Arsenal app on a paid basis.
Arsenal still short of World Cup stars
Arteta’s preparations remain shaped by the World Cup hangover. A clutch of key players whose nations went deep into the tournament are still missing, leaving the manager to lean on squad depth and younger faces.
Mikel Merino, David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka are all yet to rejoin the fold after their exertions in the World Cup final and third-place playoff. That list alone would form the backbone of most Premier League sides; for Arsenal, it’s a reminder of how international-heavy this group has become.
At the back, there is another concern. William Saliba, central to Arsenal’s domestic dominance last season, is sidelined with a back injury and will not feature. His absence opens the door for fringe defenders and academy products to stake a claim in front of a home crowd.
There is at least one welcome sight. Martin Odegaard has returned to training following his World Cup campaign with Norway and edges closer to full involvement. Whether he starts or appears from the bench, the club captain’s presence will lift both tempo and expectation.
On the pitch, Arsenal’s pre-season form has been solid if not flawless. Wins over MK Dons and Girona offered rhythm and control, but a 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in Dublin checked that early momentum. Sunday offers a chance to respond quickly, and to do it under the Emirates lights.
Dortmund in transition, but still dangerous
Dortmund arrive in London with their own story of change. The squad that steps out at the Emirates will look noticeably different to the one many fans have grown used to in recent seasons.
Julian Brandt has departed for Ajax, Karim Adeyemi has made the jump to Barcelona, and Niklas Sule has taken a surprising drop down the ladder to Tiefenbach. Those exits strip away some of the familiarity from BVB’s attacking and defensive structure.
There has been movement involving American talent as well. Forward Cole Campbell has joined Bundesliga newcomers Elversberg, while 17-year-old winger Mathis Albert travels in the Dortmund squad, a young wildcard in a side that rarely shies away from giving youth a stage.
Injuries have their say too. Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can are both out, removing experience from the spine of the team. Yet Dortmund do not arrive short of quality.
Serhou Guirassy has been heavily involved this pre-season, offering a focal point up front. Waldermar Anton brings reliability at the back, and Felix Nmecha — a reported target for Newcastle — continues to build his reputation in midfield. For all the absentees, there is more than enough talent to test Arsenal’s evolving line-up.
Dortmund’s summer results underline that sense of flux. They have yet to play at home, instead stringing together a nomadic pre-season schedule: wins over Rot-Weiss Oberhausen and FC Tokyo bookend defeats to Fortuna Dusseldorf and Cerezo Osaka. The pattern is uneven, the performances searching for consistency, but the intent to sharpen edges before the competitive season is clear.
A friendly with a competitive feel
Strip away the label and this looks like a high-level measuring stick for both clubs. Arsenal, still piecing together their full squad, must show that their depth can carry the load while the stars return. Dortmund, in the middle of a mini-rebuild, need signs that their new shape can hold up against a reigning Premier League champion.
It is only pre-season. But with the Emirates full, two giant badges on the big screens, and players jostling for places before the real campaign begins, this fixture will reveal who is already in stride — and who is still chasing their summer legs.
