Arsenal Set to Unleash Brazilian Duo Against Real Betis

Arsenal’s pre-season has been quietly building in the background, but the tempo is about to rise. The Brazilian duo of Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, fresh from World Cup duty and a mandated extended break, are finally poised to rejoin the rhythm of Mikel Arteta’s side.

Both missed the behind-closed-doors win over MK Dons on July 25 and were spectators again for the 4-1 victory against Girona, despite linking up with the squad in Spain last week. Arteta kept them out of the matchday group entirely, protecting legs that have already carried a heavy workload this summer.

That caution should give way to involvement in Dublin. With a few more training sessions banked, the pair are expected to feature at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday night as Arsenal’s pre-season moves into a more serious phase against Real Betis.

Managed minutes and moving pieces

Arteta’s approach has been clear: build rhythm, not risk. Against Girona, he treated Piero Hincapie, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres as short, sharp-run players, withdrawing all three after just 30 minutes. The same blueprint may apply to Gabriel and Martinelli, who are likely to be eased in rather than unleashed for extended spells.

Ben White offers another delicate call. The defender completed 60 minutes on his return from a knee injury and came through unscathed, a significant step after three months out. That workload alone might be enough for Arteta to hold him back against Betis, especially with youngster Marli Salmon waiting in the wings as an option at right-back. Jurrien Timber remains doubtful, so any decision on White will be weighed carefully.

Midfield in the hands of youth

In the middle of the pitch, Arsenal’s options are being shaped more by the calendar than by choice. Captain Martin Odegaard is due back this week after his own post-World Cup holiday, but with minimal training time, his involvement against Betis looks highly unlikely.

That opens the door again for Ethan Nwaneri. The teenager has already used this pre-season to underline his promise, and he should get another chance to run the midfield, likely alongside Havertz and Myles Lewis-Skelly. It is a youthful, experimental engine room, but also a glimpse into Arsenal’s next wave.

Several senior midfielders remain absent: Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino are all still on their breaks. Off the pitch, the club’s rejected bid for Bruno Guimaraes by Newcastle lingers in the background, a reminder that the squad Arteta is juggling now may not be the final version that starts the competitive campaign.

Martinelli to reclaim his flank

Up front, the Girona win threw up its own stories. Max Dowman and Christos Tzolis both found the net in the 4-1 victory, with the summer signing Tzolis impressing on the left. Yet this is Martinelli’s territory, and Betis could mark the moment he reclaims his favoured flank.

Tzolis may have to make way to give the Brazilian his first minutes of the summer on that side, sharpening an attacking unit that already looked lively in Spain. With Gyokeres being carefully managed and Havertz drifting between lines, Martinelli’s direct running and edge in the final third would add a familiar menace.

Arsenal’s pre-season has so far been about conditioning, control and careful planning. With Gabriel and Martinelli ready to step back into the fold and the kids holding their own in midfield, the Betis game offers something different: a clearer glimpse of what Arteta’s Arsenal might really look like when the real games begin.