Arsenal are in Spain tonight for their first official pre-season fixture of the summer, facing Girona at the Estadi Montilivi with kick-off scheduled for 7pm BST. The Premier League champions are continuing preparations with just under three weeks to go until the defence of their league title begins.
Summer preparations step up a notch
The Gunners have already played one summer friendly, beating MK Dons in a behind-closed-doors match at the training ground last weekend. Tonight's opposition represents a step up in quality, with the Spanish club hosting a repeat of the Champions League encounter between the two sides from the 2024-25 league phase.
Team news and expected line-up
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta can give summer signings Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier another runout. He faces a decision over Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, who returned to training this week after World Cup duty. Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Piero Hincapie are expected to get minutes, while young players Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman will be aiming to impress again.
Girona's new look
Girona faced Arsenal in the Champions League 18 months ago but have since suffered relegation from LaLiga to the Spanish second division. Their squad now includes former Tottenham players Paulo Gazzaniga and Bryan Gil, along with ex-Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek.
How to watch
The game will not be televised live in the UK. Fans can watch through Arsenal's official website and app, with a pay-per-view pass available for £6.99, or a streaming bundle covering the full pre-season campaign for £14.99. Standard Sport is providing live updates, build-up and team news via its dedicated match blog.
