On Thursday, during the teams’ USA pre-season tour, Premier League team Arsenal defeated Spanish champions Barcelona with an impressive win at the SoFi Stadium in California.
Leandro Trossard scored two goals, while the Gunners also had goals from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Fabio Vieira. For Barcelona, goals were scored by Ferran Torres, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski scored the game’s first goal, finding the back of the net in the seventh minute of play, but Saka, a standout player for Arsenal, levelled the score in the thirteenth.
First goal.
White kit.
Robert Lewandowski. pic.twitter.com/0idiTLUyJ1— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 27, 2023
Bukayo Saka’s goal against Barcelona 👏🔴
— Gunners (@Gunnersc0m) July 27, 2023
But in the 34th minute, Brazilian winger Raphinha scored to give Barcelona the lead again. However, the German midfielder Havertz, who joined Arsenal after leaving Chelsea, equalized the score a few minutes before halftime and restored the lead before the sides headed for the tunnel.
📽️ – Raphinha's goal vs Arsenal from a direct free-kick via a deflection.pic.twitter.com/7oT6FKSnrj
— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) July 27, 2023
Kai Havertz scores for Arsenal to make it 2-2.
That STRENGTH by Bukayo Saka. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/p0TfZ1Bd5C
— AFCnewsroom (@TheAFCnewsroom) July 27, 2023
In the second half, Xavi decided to field a completely different starting eleven, substituting players from the bench for his whole squad.
Belgian midfielder Trossard made it 3-2 in Arsenal’s favour with his first goal of the day in the 55th minute and he added another goal to give Arsenal the lead.
Leandro Trossard scoring The Arsenal’s third goal against Barcelona 🙌🔴
— Gunners (@Gunnersc0m) July 27, 2023
Torres, a former player for Manchester City, reduced the two-goal lead in the 88th minute to give Barcelona a chance to tie the game. However, Vieira, an Arsenal player who had been substituted for playmaker Martin Odegaard, put the final result beyond any doubt with his 89th-minute strike.
A wonderful goal from Fabio Vieira 🚀🔴
— Gunners (@Gunnersc0m) July 27, 2023
Barcelona’s next exhibition game is on Sunday against rival Real Madrid, while Arsenal’s game is on Wednesday against Monaco.