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Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund: Arsenal aims for Emirates Cup victory

August 9, 2026Carlos Mendoza3 мин

Arsenal has the opportunity to secure silverware before the 2026-27 season commences when they host Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium for the Emirates Cup on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta's squad is aiming for a fifth consecutive Emirates Cup title, having won the competition in the last four editions.

However, the Gunners enter this match looking to recover from a 3-1 friendly loss to Real Betis, which ended their perfect pre-season record after prior wins against MK Dons and Girona.

Despite this setback, Arsenal remains one of the competition's most decorated clubs, having claimed the Emirates Cup on nine occasions. Sunday's game also presents one of their final chances to build momentum before facing Manchester City in the Community Shield next weekend.

Borussia Dortmund has experienced an inconsistent pre-season under Niko Kovac, with two wins and two losses in their four friendlies. Following victories over Rot-Weiss Oberhausen and FC Tokyo, they also suffered defeats against Fortuna Dusseldorf and Cerezo Osaka.

Arsenal player in action

The Bundesliga runners-up will also use this match to prepare for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup later this month before concluding their summer schedule against Roma.

Team News for Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal saw the return of Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes from their post-World Cup breaks against Real Betis, though both played only brief roles as part of a planned reintegration.

Young midfielder Louie Copley is a doubt after sustaining an injury mid-week. Captain Martin Odegaard has rejoined training following his holiday and might make his first pre-season appearance from the bench.

Borussia Dortmund is monitoring Carney Chukwuemeka, who was forced off early against FC Tokyo due to a recurring knee issue. Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck remain sidelined with long-term knee injuries.

Should Chukwuemeka be unavailable, recent signing Konstantinos Karetsas could make his debut after joining from Genk earlier this week.

Probable Line-ups for Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal's probable starting lineup: Meslier; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Hincapie; Vieira, Lewis-Skelly, Havertz; Dowman, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Borussia Dortmund's probable starting lineup: Drewes; Reggiani, Anton, Ritter; Svensson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Beier; Silva, Karetsas; Guirassy

Borussia Dortmund player in action

Match Details: Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund

The Emirates Cup match between Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund is scheduled to kick off at 2 PM BST on Sunday, August 9th, at the Emirates Stadium in London.

The game is expected to be broadcast live on Arsenal's official media platforms, including Arsenal.com and the club's app. Dortmund will also provide coverage via their official channels in certain regions.

Key Stats for Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund

  • Arsenal has won the last four editions of the Emirates Cup.
  • The Gunners have won the Emirates Cup a total of nine times.
  • Borussia Dortmund has secured two wins and suffered two losses in their four pre-season matches this summer.
  • Arsenal's 3-1 defeat to Real Betis ended their perfect pre-season run.
  • The two clubs have met eight times in competitive fixtures, with Arsenal winning the most recent encounter 2-0 in the Champions League in 2014.
  • Dortmund's last competitive victory against Arsenal was in the 2014 Champions League group stage.

Prediction for Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal's loss to Real Betis was largely attributed to individual defensive errors rather than a poor overall team performance, and Arteta's side should be capable of a strong response on home turf.

Dortmund is still seeking consistency during their pre-season, and given Arsenal's historical success in the Emirates Cup, the home team appears well-positioned to retain the trophy.

Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Borussia Dortmund