Arsenal vs Dortmund: Heavyweight Friendly at Emirates Stadium

Arsenal roll back into the Emirates Stadium on Sunday with a familiar feeling: expectation. Premier League champions at home, a big European name in town, and a fanbase eager to see early clues about the season to come. Friendly or not, Borussia Dortmund is never a low-key visitor.

Kickoff is set for 2pm ET on Sunday, August 9, with the game streamed on Arsenal.com and the club’s official app for paying subscribers. North London will get its first look of the summer at Mikel Arteta’s side on home turf, even if it is far from full strength.

Arsenal short of World Cup stars

Arteta’s preparations have been shaped by the World Cup hangover. A clutch of key players remain unavailable after going deep into the tournament, leaving the manager to mix established names with squad options and youngsters.

Mikel Merino, David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka are all still missing after their involvement in either the final or the third-place playoff. That is the spine and the stardust of Arsenal’s title-winning side, stripped out in one go.

William Saliba, the defensive pillar of last season, is also ruled out with a back injury, forcing more experimentation at the heart of defence.

There is one welcome sight, though. Martin Odegaard has returned to training following his World Cup campaign with Norway. Whether he starts or appears from the bench, the captain’s presence alone sharpens the tempo of any Arsenal performance.

Arsenal’s preseason form has been steady rather than spectacular. Wins over MK Dons and Girona provided gentle momentum before a 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in Dublin checked their stride. This meeting with Dortmund, in front of a home crowd, offers a sharper test of their rhythm and depth.

Dortmund in transition, but still dangerous

Dortmund arrive in London with their own story of change. Some of the names Arsenal fans know best have already moved on.

Julian Brandt has departed for Ajax, Karim Adeyemi has taken the leap to Barcelona, and Niklas Sule has dropped several tiers to join Tiefenbach. The reshaping of the squad is unmistakable.

There has been movement at the other end of the age scale too. American forward Cole Campbell has left for Bundesliga newcomers Elversberg, while another American, 17-year-old winger Mathis Albert, steps into the spotlight as part of the travelling group.

Injuries have bitten as well. Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can are both sidelined, robbing Dortmund of experience at the back and steel in midfield. Even so, this is no makeshift outfit.

Serhou Guirassy, Waldermar Anton and Felix Nmecha — the latter linked with a move to Newcastle — have all featured prominently in preseason and are expected to play a part at the Emirates. Their involvement gives Dortmund both physical presence and technical quality across the pitch.

Their summer results reflect a side still feeling its way. Wins over Rot-Weiss Oberhausen and FC Tokyo have been offset by defeats to Fortuna Dusseldorf and Cerezo Osaka. The pattern is uneven, but the talent is clear.

A friendly with an edge

For both clubs, this is more than a run-out. Arsenal test the depth behind their World Cup-absent stars and gauge how quickly they can rediscover the fluency that carried them to the Premier League title. Dortmund measure a reshaped squad against elite opposition in a hostile arena.

The Emirates will not forget that the trophy count starts later. But on Sunday, it will demand something else: a hint of sharpness, a glimpse of chemistry, and an early sign of who is ready to set the tone for the season ahead.