Arsenal vs Athletic Bilbao 4-0- HL & GoaIs - Friendly Match 2026

An early August date with Athletic Club, a last chance to tune up, in public at least, for the campaign ahead. Not just pre-season practice on the agenda though, but the Emirates Cup and our well-established curtain-raiser to the Gunners footballing year, Mikel Arteta. So here we go, final game of the summer. Also see some passenger play for the new players. This is Aresol for Athletic Club. Look at the aid of Karakuri, managed to clear. And now Joachim is looking to turn. Well the Arsenal fans are getting behind. Moro. Saka loses out. And now Odegaard. Slipped through for Saka again. Cleared behind, but good movement inside the penalty to run it. Likud, and still going, skips away from the challenge. And Simon makes the save. Well, club captain. And of course, Skoda Marcos hanging off his boots. Jokovic moving inside the penalty area. Down here, Benninger. And now Nico Williams. This is Benninger. Can't quite get hold of that. Comfortable. Smooth again now then. Look at Martinelli do. Gets the shot away, but unfortunately, always going wide. Vivian. Towards Saka. It's a fully used way forward. Tried to put it on the plate for Jokovic inside this. Van Rijs. All giving away though inside the penalty area. Big chance for Athletic Club. Not taken. Well, David Rye. Always innovative. To the near post, is it? No, close to the far but too easy for the keeper. Nico Williams, left hand side. Odegaard. And now it's with Timber if he can keep it in. Not quite. To me, he's going to be the conundrum. Areso twists and turns and does deliver. Now it's with Iniecki Williams. Movement once again from Areso. Certainly got some skill but didn't really have the finishing power there. And he misses the last three. Timber loses out. Williams picks it up. Benninger to his left. And B. Yeah, he's got such good quality. Try to support Martinelli. So, it's just in. Forward. Saka again. And Jokeres calls for Isodas. Martinelli sees Jokeres with the shot. Well, didn't go. And Calafiore. Wide ball for Odegaard. Stianti a little. And Timber sold a little short. But Saka might make it work. It was a little hurried from Athletic Club. Midfield. I was just wondering whether Arsene would drop the ball into Jokeres. It seems so. No stranger to smashing. As soon as the ball is taken. In the swinger. Look out here. And goes the signal. As described. To the top of the crossbar. And bounce up on the right-hand side. For Williams again. Here is the Swede. And still. Calafiore. Trying to place it. But maybe just leaning back a little bit. For us watching on that it is for players. They would have had a fairly tough pre-season schedule. We think that he should have been tipped up condition straight away. That is a bit awkward. Incoming. Delivered towards Gabriel. Zubimendi first time. And the header. Brilliantly done. Brilliantly timed run. And a powerful. Martinelli wants it. Jokeres. Sees the ball ricochet between defender and attack. Martinelli over the top. And still going. Puts it over. Play for Saka. Will have two in the blink of an eye. Martinelli and Saka back in the old routine. The two wide men combined. And to redress the balance a little bit. Berenguer wants more. Timber coming through the gears. And the skills. Like he beaten his man. Williams. Martinelli trying to stay on side. Atletico just can't clear. Potted the nose of Real Madrid and Barcelona. On the odd occasion over the last. Gabriel for Martinelli. The two Brazilians combined. Martinelli. Ace. And now for Odegaard. Peres has made the move. Saka might. Just beginning to click and find a bit of rhythm potentially. That is half time in the Emirates Cup 2025. Victor Jokeres off the mark. With a wonderful header. Perfectly timed run. Straight into the action. After. His introduction. Saka. Can't keep it in. But it did take a touch. Did it not? It's a positive. But there. I've said. For many seasons. Sometimes we get players. Saka calling for it. Still Victor Jokeres. Touch inside the penalty area. To try and make a little bit of space here from Navarro. Gabriel. We'll all be pretty happy. Madawaki gets the cross in. And it comes again towards the far post. And a header. Towards the near side. Which somehow. Seems to get underneath. Zoubimendi. Ball for Madawaki. Scoops it back towards the far post. And Saka ends up on the deck. This is Berenguer. Saka. Waits. This is White. Who's offside. Zoubimendi. With the fast feet. Madawaki. Weiss continued his run. Jokeres sort of lets it go. Weiss runs into trouble. Referee doesn't intervene. Berenguer. Madawaki. For Jokeres. Saka if he can spot him. To Madawaki again. Jokeres is inside the area. What a goal. Arsenal. Come forward again. Madawaki. He's been given the ball back. Weiss. He was top goalscorer in the Premier League last season. Despite those injury issues. Kept him out of the space for Gerard Cabal. Berenguer to deliver. Good. Didn't get picked out some of the time. But that's something to work on. Comes your way in terms of losing players. You have got other options. Madawaki's flick is good. Mostly with Skelly Cross. Not so much. Can take it down and does. Samadhi waits inside the box. And his team were a little naive. But he wanted to make sure that they were on it today. Sets of teams were wishing that the game would finish. This is Saka to pull it back. High ball for Zoubamendi. And now it's Havertz. Full waiting. Madawaki. Samadhi. Breaks forward. And Navarro calling for it. It's a first and dance now. Then Guy Havertz breaking forward. Can he finish off? And it's brilliant. Wonderful run. Shows his class and quality. To steer beyond United Simons. To give Arsenal a three-goal lead. Terrifically timed run. Had an awful lot to do. Goes again for Mars Lewis Skelly's ball. This is neat play. And the build up to next week is all about preparation. United Simons out of position. This is Mikhail Saka. That is full time. Arsenal playing the Emirates Cup for the ninth time.