Gabriel and Martinelli Set for Arsenal Return Against Real Betis
The sunshine of Dublin should finally get a glimpse of Arsenal’s Brazilian double act.
Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, kept on ice after Brazil’s run to the World Cup last 16, are expected to step back into action at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday night as Mikel Arteta sharpens his squad against Real Betis. Both defenders and forwards have been ticking over in Spain, but this feels like the night the volume gets turned up.
The duo missed the behind-closed-doors win over MK Dons on July 25 and watched from the sidelines again as Arsenal brushed aside Girona 4-1. Their absence was precaution, not punishment. After a mandatory extended break and a week training with the group, the timing now looks right.
Arteta, though, is unlikely to abandon his measured approach.
He treated Piero Hincapie, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres with kid gloves against Girona, hooking all three after just half an hour. It would be no surprise if Gabriel and Martinelli receive the same short-burst treatment against Betis: minutes in the legs, rhythm in the lungs, but no risks.
There was better news at right-back, where Ben White came through 60 minutes unscathed on his return from a knee injury. That alone marked a significant step after three months out. Yet that workload, on his first outing back, might be enough for now. Arteta could easily park him on the bench or in the stands in Dublin and turn instead to youngster Marli Salmon, especially with Jurrien Timber a doubt.
Midfield
Midfield tells a different story: stretched, improvised, but intriguing.
Martin Odegaard is due back at London Colney this week after his post-World Cup break, but the captain’s influence will remain theoretical for the Betis game. With no training time of note, he is expected to sit this one out, which again opens the door for Ethan Nwaneri to take centre stage in pre-season.
Nwaneri has already used this summer to underline why Arsenal rate him so highly. He should again anchor a makeshift engine room, most likely flanked by Havertz and Myles Lewis-Skelly. The options are thin because the senior core of the midfield is still scattered across holiday destinations: Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino are all yet to report back.
Off the pitch, the picture is just as revealing. Arsenal have already seen a bid for Bruno Guimaraes turned down by Newcastle, a reminder that the midfield rebuild Arteta wants will not come cheaply or quickly. Until then, youth and versatility will have to carry the load.
Out Wide
Out wide, decisions are looming as well.
Max Dowman and Christos Tzolis both found the net in the 4-1 dismantling of Girona, staking early claims for minutes in a crowded attacking unit. Yet the dynamics shift once Martinelli is ready. The Brazilian is expected to reclaim his natural home on the left, which could push the summer signing Tzolis to the bench as Arteta prioritises senior sharpness over pre-season experimentation.
This is the phase of July and August where managers juggle more than just formations. Conditioning, confidence, contracts, and chemistry all collide. At the Aviva, Arsenal will not reveal their finished article. They will, however, edge closer to it.
And with the season drawing nearer, every touch from Gabriel and Martinelli will be watched for the same thing: signs that Arsenal’s spine and spark are returning right on schedule.
