Arsenal beats Girona 4-1 in preseason Costa Brava Trophy

Arsenal began their 2026 preseason schedule with a convincing 4-1 victory over Spanish side Girona at the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi on Saturday, August 1. The match, part of the long-running Costa Brava Trophy, saw manager Mikel Arteta field a mix of returning internationals and academy prospects against a Girona team recently relegated from La Liga.

Kai Havertz opened the scoring for the Gunners in the 16th minute, finishing off a through ball from Max Dowman. New signing Christos Tzolis doubled the lead around the half-hour mark, his goal-bound effort taking a deflection off Havertz on its way into the net. Girona pulled a goal back in the second half through Arnau Martinez, but Arsenal restored their cushion with a solo effort from Dowman, who cut in from the right flank to score. A late fourth goal came from substitute Gabriel Jesus, who capitalized on a defensive error forced by captain Ben White.

The match served as a first public outing for several players. Defender Ben White started as he continues his comeback from a long-term knee injury, while World Cup participants Piero Hincapie, Viktor Gyokeres, and Havertz also began the game. New arrivals Tzolis and...