Club Friendly: Annual Emirates Cup Offers Home Comforts for Arsenal

Arsenal vs Athletic Bilbao

When I arrived home on Wednesday night, I went online to catch the latest sports news and quickly found out that Arsenal had been defeated by Villarreal in the latest high-profile Club Friendly.

The result didn’t surprise this SBOTOP writer – after all, the scorelines in pre-season count for now, and the Yellow Submarine didn’t finish fifth in La Liga last season without having something about them.

What did surprise me, though, was the contrasting reactions of two respected, established media outlets to the display.

 

Talking Points

One was philosophical and focused on the promising signs in the North Londoners’ ranks, despite the Gunners going down to a 3-2 defeat with one of their summer signings, Christian Norgaard, and captain Martin Odegaard on target.

The other report made it sound rather more dispiriting for any Arsenal fan.

No Arsenal player managed 10 goals in the Premier League last season, so talk of the £64 million recruit Viktor Gyokeres looking laboured in a display which, and I quote, left boss Mikel Arteta with “plenty of questions to resolve and reasons for Arsenal supporters to be fearful”, must have made sobering reading.

Talk about a glass half empty approach, even if the report did acknowledge that the Sweden striker is still playing catch‑up, having stayed away from pre-season with the club he has just left, Sporting Lisbon, to try and force through a move.

Ultimately, an early goal from former Arsenal player Pepe and strikes from Karl Etta Eyong and former Spurs loanee Arnaut Danjuma sealed an impressive win for Villarreal.

The real question, though has not changed, regardless of Wednesday night’s result, or indeed the outcome of the Emirates Cup this weekend.

Can Martín Zubimendi, Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Gyokeres, Cristhian Mosquera, and Kepa Arrizabalaga help take Arsenal that elusive final step to becoming champions for the first time since the “Invincibles” in 2004, as they aim to improve on finishing as Premier League runners-up for a third successive season.

Arteta, who has been in charge at the club for five and a half years, has a solitary FA Cup to show for his efforts thus far, and, while that alone is not a fair reflection on the progress the club has made since his appointment, that is the currency of football at the highest level.

All in all, their summer business should mean Arsenal are better protected from a repeat of the injuries that firstly damaged their credentials last autumn and then ended any chance of a recovery in late January/early February.

Their opponents on Saturday, Athletic Bilbao, are already in England and played two friendlies against Liverpool on Monday, losing 4-1 and 3-2 – again the results are irrelevant – but it proved to be a costly evening and a luckless triple blow.

Oihan Sancet, who was on the scoresheet in one of those games, is set to miss the start of the La Liga season after coming off with a lateral knee ligament issue which will rule him out for a month.

Worse was to come when it emerged promising central defender Unai Egiluz sustained a cruciate ligament injury and will now miss the entire campaign.

In addition, Benat Prados picked up a thigh strain, although he is expected to be fit for their season opener on August 17.

A regular pre-season tradition since 2007, each of the last three editions of the Emirates Cup has been won by Arsenal, who thumped Sevilla in 2022, edged out Monaco on penalties in 2023, and sank Lyon 2-0 in last year’s contest.

I expect them to win the pre-season encounter again and deliver Club Friendly 2025 highlights in what is their final pre-season outing.

Arsenal may have been beaten in midweek, but their pre-season has been unrecognisable from that of Bilbao, who have also lost to Racing Santander, PSV Eindhoven and Alaves since a 1-0 triumph over Ponferradina in mid-July.

Their transfer activity has also been unlike Arsenal’s.

In keeping with their Basque-only policy, Bilbao’s window has been traditionally quiet on the incoming front, although they did shell out £10.5 million to sign right-back Jesus Areso from Osasuna.

The Spaniard has arrived to succeed Athletic stalwart Oscar de Marcos, who retired at the end of last season following 16 years at San Mames, and he should be part of a rearguard protecting Spain number one Unai Simon.

Arguably, their main success this summer has been fending off interest from Barcelona and keeping hold of Nico Williams, one of the stars of Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph last summer.

He will be their star attraction as the Emirates Cup returns to North London.

 

History

Arsenal and Athletic Bilbao have never met competitively before.

 

Betting Tip

Our SBOTOP Club Friendly 2025 betting odds really only fancy one result, with Arsenal priced 1X2 @ 1.50 and Athletic Bilbao @ 4.97. Even the draw will pay out @ 3.95.

I cannot see past a home win to lift spirits in North London.

   

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