How to watch Arsenal vs Villarreal: Kick-off time, TV, Live stream, latest team news and much more 

Check out how to watch Arsenal's pre-season Villarreal friendly , including Live Stream and latest team news 

Prologue 

10 points short in the Premier League and with two semi-final exits last term, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta knows he and his squad must attempt to deliver the silverware the club's support demands across the forthcoming new season. 

A sixth successive season without a trophy would put pressure under the Basque-born boss, who up to last term had always built on his side's year-on-year on progress.

From sweeping away the cliques and underperformers that characterised the final years under Arsene Wenger, and the missteps with Unai Emery in charge, to running the billionaire moneybags of Manchester City and their 115 charges extremely close, Arteta's Arsenal had been charting an upward trajectory since his arrival.

By landing the FA Cup in Arteta's first season back in 2020, he bought time for his project. Since then he has presided over three second place finishes and and a Champions League semi-final. 

Which is why last season was a tad disappointing, even if a thrilling run to the semi-finals of the Champions League assuaged a stalled Premier League campaign to a certain extent, in a campaign which saw new Reds boss Arne Slot strode serenly to the title in his first season, with the underwhelming Gunners barely in the conversation.  

The club have been busy boosting the squad this summer, new sporting director Andrea Bertha underlining his credentials as a mover and shaker by finally landing long-term transfer target Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting club de Portugal for £63m, along with Kepa (£5m, Bournemouth), Christian Norgaard (£10m, Brentford), Martin Zubimendi (£50m, Real Sociedad), Noni Madueke (£52m, Chelsea), Cristhian Mosquera (£12m, Valencia).

The tour also marked the introduction of precocious 15-year-old teenage talent Max Dowman, who could also feature against Villarreal.

The side picked up two wins on their Asia tour, both coming in the Singapore leg of the trip, when easing past AC Milan 1-0, and 3-2 against Newcastle, prior to losing to Thomas Frank's Spurs side in Hong Kong, a result that will be instantly forgotten once La Liga side Villarreal turn up at the Emirates on Wednesday. 

While no-one has a divine right to win anything, the club's history and heritage, support base and infrastructure demands regular silverware. 

Let's hope 2025-26 sees Arteta - a throughly decent man who lives and breathes Arsenal - finally land the success, he and the fans, have been longing for. 

When is Arsenal vs Villarreal 

Wednesday, August 6

Arsenal v Villarreal, at the Emirates 

What time is kick-off

The first pre-season friendly in N5 this summer kicks off at 6pm

How to watch Arsenal pre-season on TV

Fans can watch all of the Gunners' pre-season friendlies via Arsenal.com.

The match against Villarreal will be shown live on Arsenal.com and the official app, and can be streamed for £4.99.

This early bird pass will be available for this match until 9am BST on Wednesday, August 6, when the price will rise to £6.99.

When you buy a pass to the game, you'll have the option of watching the action live, as well as repeat showings every three hours afterwards.

Arsenal vs Villarreal team news

Arsenal

Defenders Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori are all available for selection after recovering from their respective injuries.

New striker Viktor Gyokeres could make his first appearance at the Emirates 

Fellow summer signings Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard, and Arrizabalaga could all also make their home debuts on Wednesday.

Leandro Trossard and Kepa are being monitored after picking up knocks in Hong Kong 

Villarreal 

Arsenal's former £72m record signing Nicolas Pepe arrived from Trabzonspor 12 months ago, scoring three goals in 28 appearances, while former Gunners loanee Denis Suarez is in his second season at El Madrigal.

Influential attacking midfielder Alex Baena left to join Atletico Madrid, while striker Thierno Barry moved to Everton for a combined £62 million.

They spent £13 million of that figure on winger Alberto Moleiro from Las Palmas, while Spanish U21 colleague Rafa Marin joined on loan from Napoli.

Uruguayan centre-back Santiago Mourino arrived from Atletico Madrid for £8.7m, while Canadian international winger Taion Buchanan has had his loan from Inter Milan made permanent. 

Focus on Villarreal 

The club is situated 50miles north of Valencia with half the town's population able to fit into the Estadio de la Ceramica, otherwise known as El Madrigal, with its capacity of 23,008,

They reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 2003-04 and two years later they reached the same stage of the Champions League thanks to a third-place finish in La Liga, where they lost 1-0 on aggregate to a Jens Lehman inspired Arsenal side, after the German keeper saved a late Riquleme penalty during the second leg in Spain. 

They again finished La Liga runners-up in 2008, but four years later they were relegated. However, they bounced back the next season.

During lockdown in 2021 lifted their first major silverware when they won the Europa League final against Manchester United - after beating Arsenal behind closed doors in the semi-final - earning them a spot in the Champions League the following season that saw them again reach the final four.

Marcelino has been in charge of Villarreal since November 2023, leading them to a fifth-place finish last season, qualifying them for this year's forthcoming Champions League. 

They nicknamed the Yellow Submarine because of their kit.

Spanish international striker Gerard Moreno is the club’s all-time record scorer with 101 to his name across two spells.

Captain Dani Parejo had a spell at Queens Park Rangers back in 2008 before playing nearly 400 times for nearby Valencia, prior to racking up 229 appearances for Villarreal.

Head to head:

Played: 

Arsenal wins: 2

Draws: 3

Villarreal wins: 1