Arsenal have ramped up their Premier League preparations with a scintillating 5-3 victory against Barcelona in a pre-season friendly at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
Bukayo Saka was the Catalans’ chief tormentor, scoring a goal, missing a penalty and being involved regularly as the Gunners cut up Barca at will, particularly in the first half.
January signing Leandro Trossard contributed two goals in a quality performance on the left wing, while new acquisition Kai Havertz and substitute Fabio Vieira chipped in on the scoresheet also.
Barcelona won’t be too concerned by the result as it was their first pre-season friendly, but they were outplayed throughout the 90 minutes, with two of their goals coming from lucky deflections.
MORE: Arsenal preseason fixtures, USA summer tour 2023
Arsenal vs Barcelona final score
Final
Goal scorers
Arsenal
5
– Bukayo Saka 13′
– Kai Havertz 43′
– Leandro Trossard 55′, 78′
– Fabio Vieira 90′
Barcelona
3
– Robert Lewandowski 7′
– Raphinha 34′
– Ferran Torres 88′
Line-ups
Arsenal (4-3-3): Ramsdale (GK) – White, Saliba (Kiwior 70′), Gabriel, Timber (Tierney 70′) – Partey (Jorginho 70′), Havertz (Smith Rowe 46′), Odegaard (Vieira 62′) – Saka (Cozier-Duberry 84′), Jesus (Nketiah 78′), Trossard (Martinelli 79′)
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): 1. Ter Stegen (GK) (Inaki Pena 46′) – 2. Dest (Fermin 46′) (Yamai 79′), 4. Araujo (Garcia 46′), 15. Christensen (Kounde 46′) , 17. Alonso (Roberto) – 18. Oriol Romeu (Balde 46′), 14. Gundogan (Kessie 46′) – 22. Raphinha (Dembele 46′), 8. Pedri (De Jong 46′), 16. Ez Abde (Ansu Fati 46′) – 9. Lewandowkski (Ferran 46′)
Arsenal vs Barcelona live updates, highlights, commentary
Final: Arsenal 5-3 Barcelona
90th min: Goal – Arsenal! Raining goals here in LA. Vieira restores Arsenal’s two-goal advantage with a screamer. He curls the ball into the top corner with his left foot from distance.
88th min: Goal – Barcelona! Rob Holding makes the error, allowing Dembele to pounce. He plays through Ferran, who squeezes the finish past Ramsdale.
84th min: The match is winding down here. Arsenal have looked much more impressive than in their loss to Man Utd. Barca are clearly in the infancy of their pre-season.
78th min: Goal – Arsenal! Tierney whips in an early cross and Trossard stubs it into the net first time with an excellent finish. His second goal.
Terrific Trossard 🤩 pic.twitter.com/HTzTM5ZFBm
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2023
75th min: Barcelona hit the post! A counter-attack from Barcelona sees Fati play through Dembele, but the forward pokes a shot off the post. Barca’s best play of the half.
70th min: Arsenal sub! Jorginho, Kiwior and Tierney come on for Partey, Saliba and Timber.
68th min: Players are having a drinks break currently. The game has lost a little cohesion with all the substitutes.
62nd min: Arsenal sub! Fabio Vieira comes on for Odegaard.
59th min: Barcelona, in their first pre-season match, changed their entire XI at half-time, with the likes of Dembele, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Frenkie De Jong and Jules Kounde coming on.
58th min: Arsenal only made one substitute at half-time with Smith Rowe entering the fray for Havertz.
55th min: Goal – Arsenal! Trossard collects the ball through the middle, he drives into the box and fires a shot across the face of the goal that nestles in the bottom corner.
🔎🔍 pic.twitter.com/PISp2v2ixK
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2023
52nd min: Dembele picks up the ball on the right, cuts inside to his left foot, but curls a shot just on top of the net.
51st min: Chance – Arsenal! Barcelona again in all sorts playing out from the back. Jesus nicks it over to Saka, but he balloons his shot over the bar. Saka could have had four goals today.
47th min: Kounde makes a terrific block as Jesus tries to lash a shot on goal. Arsenal start the second half as they played in the first.
46th min: We are underway in the second half.
Half-time: Arsenal 2-2 Barcelona
Half-time: Despite going behind on two occasions, it was a dominant performance from Arsenal, who looked threatening throughout the half with Bukayo Saka starring.
Barcelona fortuitously scored twice via a great Ramsdale save and deflected free kick goal, but any other chances were few and far between.
Saka has dominated Marcos Alonso and would have a brace if he had converted the penalty.
Will both teams swing the changes for the second half?
45th min: Chance – Arsenal! From the resulting corner, Ter Stegen tips over Jesus’ goal-bound header.
45th min: Barcelona give the ball away again in midfield. Trossard bears down toward the goal. He fires a shot from outside the area and Ter Stegen tips over the bar.
43rd min: Goal – Arsenal! Saka dominates Alonso once again. He hangs the cross up, Odegaard heads on goal and Havertz pokes it into the net.
Havertz at the back post 🔥 pic.twitter.com/e98J9hNmMe
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2023
41st min: Yellow card – Arsenal: Ben White goes through the back of Abde and is shown yellow.
37th min: Yellow card – Barcelona and Arsenal: Araujo cuts down Havertz with an aggressive challenge. A mini-fracas starts. The referee decides to just brandish a yellow. Havertz is also shown a card for his reaction to the challenge.
36th min: Ramsdale won’t be happy with Barcelona’s second goal. Odegaard turned his back in the wall and it was his deflection that beat the keeper.
34th min: Goal – Barcelona! Against the run of play, Barca take the lead as Raphinha’s free kick deflects off Odegaard in the wall, and nestles in the bottom corner.
🔎🔍 pic.twitter.com/PISp2v2ixK
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2023
29th min: Arsenal are doing most of the attacking. Barca’s defence is regularly being stretched, by Saka in particular.
27th min: Yellow card – Arsenal: The referee shows Trossard a yellow card.
23rd min: We are currently having a drinks break in Los Angeles. Hot night here.
22nd min: Penalty MISS – Arsenal: Saka’s heads are in his hands as he drags the penalty wide of the right post. Ter Stegen had dove the wrong way.
21st min: Penalty – Arsenal. Saka terrorises the Barca defence. He slides through Odegaard, who pulls back for Trossard. The goal-bound shot strikes Araujo’s hand. Referee points to the spot.
16th min: Chance – Arsenal! Ter Stegen fails to get a good fist on the corner. Saka launches a volley from the top of the box that looks goal-bound, but it strikes a Barca defender and bounces to safety.
15th min: Chance – Arsenal! Jesus tricks his way into the six-yard box from the byline, he squares the ball to Saka but a vital touch deflects it away from the Arsenal attacker. That stopped a certain goal.
13th min: Goal – Arsenal! The Gunners strike back! Ben White gives the ball away in attack but a heavy touch from Christensen allows Saka to pounce and lift a shot over Ter Stegen.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2023
12th min: Arsenal have maintained possession since conceding, with Barcelona looking to bounce clear on the counter-attack, much like how they crafted the opening goal
7th min: Goal – Barcelona! Odegaard gives the ball away to allow Abde to spring clear down the left. He squares low to Raphinha, but Ramsdale makes an excellent save. Lewandowski is on hand to tuck away the rebound though.
First goal.
White kit.
Robert Lewandowski. pic.twitter.com/0idiTLUyJ1
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 27, 2023
3rd min: Jesus is brought down by Araujo after a splitting through-ball from Havertz. Odegaard swings the free kick in from wide but it’s too deep and Barcelona handle the danger.
1st min: Barcelona kick the ball off and immediately settle in on the ball for the first minute.
Kickoff
2 minutes to kickoff: We’re set to kick off. Arsenal will be in their traditional kit and Barcelona are in all white with blue shorts.
30 minutes to kickoff: Arsenal have finally confirmed their starting XI.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2023
ALERT: Kickoff has been delayed for 46 minutes until 11.06pm ET / 4.06am BST.
Arsenal v Barcelona has been delayed and will now kick-off at 4:06am (UK time)#ARSFCB #Arsenal #AFC
— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) July 27, 2023
30 minutes to kickoff: We are still waiting for confirmation of Arsenal’s starting XI.
60 minutes to kickoff: Barcelona have announced their starting XI.
🚨 BARÇA XI! 🚨#ArsenalBarça pic.twitter.com/f0ACcXCD1y
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 27, 2023
90 minutes to kickoff: It’s going to be steaming hot at SoFI Stadium in LA tonight with the expected temperature to be around 79°F (26°C) when the match kicks off.
Pre-game: Welcome to SoFI Stadium in Los Angeles, California for tonight’s friendly between Arsenal and Barcelona.
Let’s end our USA tour on a high 👊 pic.twitter.com/kg1z8CnAiY
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 25, 2023
Arsenal vs Barcelona lineups
Declan Rice is absent from Arsenal’s squad with a tight calf, while Folarin Balogun is also missing.
New signings Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz will continue to gel with their teammates, while Thomas Partey gets an opportunity with Rice out.
The likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah and Jorginho should get game time in the second half.
Arsenal starting lineup (4-3-3): Ramsdale (GK) – White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber – Partey, Havertz, Odegaard – Saka, Jesus, Trossard
Arsenal subs (13): Hein, Tierney, Kiwior, Holding, Tomiyasu, Trusty, Jorginho, Vieira, Martinelli, Smith Rowe, Marquinhos, Cozier-Duberry, Nketiah
Barcelona will hand starts to new signings Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez, while Oriol Romeu makes his first appearance for the club since 2011 – after re-signing from Girona.
It’s a strong Barca side that features marquee centre-forward Robert Lewandowski, while the likes of Pedri, Raphinha and Marcos Alonso also start.
Twenty players are listed as substitutes, so expect to see plenty of rotation from coach Xavi Hernandez.
Barcelona starting lineup (4-2-3-1): 1. Ter Stegen (GK) – 2. Dest, 4. Araujo, 15. Christensen, 17. Alonso – 18. Oriol Romeu, 14. Gundogan – 22. Raphinha, 8. Pedri, 16. Ez Abde – 9. Lewandowkski.
Barcelona subs (20): Balde, I. Martinez, Gavi, Dembele, Ansu Fati, Ferran, Lenglet, Inaki Pena, Kessie, S. Roberto, De Jong, Kounde, Eric, Astralaga, M. Casado, Lamine Yamai, Aleix Garrido, Fermin Lopez, Mika Faye, Alex Valle
Arsenal vs Barcelona live stream, TV channel
This preseason friendly takes place at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California and kicks off on Wednesday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m. local time.
Preseason games are not always available for broadcast or streaming with Arsenal providing an in-house option for supporters.
Arsenal.com will stream the game live to viewers across the world with matchday passes available for £4.99 if bought the day before and £6.99 on the day.
Alongside the option to stream the match across the world via Arsenal.com, certain countries also have dedicated options to watch it, with DAZN covering it in Canada, TV3 in Spain and Astro GO and Sooka in Malaysia.
MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA and on Fubo in Canada
Date
Kickoff time
TV
Streaming
USA
Wed, July 26
10:30 p.m. ET
—
ESPN+, Arsenal.com
Canada
Wed, July 26
10:30 p.m. ET
DAZN
Arsenal.com
UK
Thu, July 27
3:30 a.m. BST
—
Arsenal.com
Australia
Thu, July 27
12:30 p.m. AEST
—
Arsenal.com
India
Thu, July 27
8:00 a.m. IST
—
Arsenal.com
Hong Kong
Thu, July 27
10:30 a.m. HKT
—
Arsenal.com
Malaysia
Thu, July 27
10:30 a.m. MYT
Astro SuperSport 2
sooka, Astro Go, Arsenal.com
Singapore
Thu, July 27
10:30 a.m. SGT
—
Arsenal.com
New Zealand
Thu, July 27
2:30 p.m. NZST
—
Arsenal.com
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