Arsenal Stunned at Home: Three Brutal Lessons from Their Emirates Cup Humiliation Against Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal's impressive streak of four straight Emirates Cup triumphs was brought to an end on Sunday as the Gunners fell 3–2 to Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium.

The Bundesliga outfit claimed the preseason silverware—first contested in 2007 and bearing the name of Arsenal's main shirt sponsor—after defeating Mikel Arteta's side in an enthralling encounter in north London.

Arsenal paraded new recruit Bruno Guimarães ahead of kickoff, though his presence did little to spark early momentum. Dortmund broke the deadlock within just seven minutes, with 18-year-old Samuele Inacio latching onto Felix Nmecha's incisive through ball and slotting a composed finish past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The away side doubled their lead in the 29th minute through Konstantinos Karetsas, who unleashed a spectacular effort into the top corner, leaving Arsenal with a significant deficit to overcome.

The Gunners reduced the arrears shortly after the break, with Ethan Nwaneri converting in the 54th minute following a neat lay-off from fellow summer signing Christos Tzolis. However, Dortmund quickly re-established their two-goal buffer. Arsenal failed to deal with a corner, and Joane Gadou capitalised from close range to make it 3–1.

Substitute Viktor Gyökeres revived Arsenal's hopes from the penalty spot in the 69th minute, setting the stage for a tense closing period. The Gunners pushed hard for a leveller, but Dortmund held firm under late pressure to claim the trophy.

Here are three takeaways from the loss.

Tzolis Looks Electric

Arsenal may have endured a largely forgettable afternoon, but one player stood out as a genuine bright spot: summer acquisition Tzolis.

The Greek winger was central to everything positive Arsenal produced. He set up Nwaneri's goal with a well-timed cutback into the area and later drew the penalty that Gyökeres dispatched.

Whenever Tzolis got on the ball, he posed a constant threat. Aggressive and confident in taking on defenders, the winger consistently delivered an end product—be it a threatening cross, a sharp cutback, or winning a corner.

That kind of output was something Arsenal frequently missed from wide positions last season, with Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke too often failing to make a sustained impact in the attacking third.

Tzolis created four chances against Dortmund, more than any other player on the field. If this is a glimpse of what's to come, Arsenal may have unearthed a genuinely exciting wide option.

The Havertz Experiment Continues

Kai Havertz has long been a puzzling figure, both during his time at Chelsea and now at Arsenal. Is he a No. 10? A centre-forward? A false nine? Or perhaps a box-to-box midfielder?

His showing against Borussia Dortmund may have shed some light on at least one of those questions: central midfield does not appear to be where he thrives.

Deployed on the left of a midfield trio alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Ødegaard, Havertz contributed virtually nothing defensively, ending the match without a single defensive action. He also struggled to make his mark going forward, with a number of wayward passes and instances where he was dispossessed after hesitating on the ball.

There were a few well-timed runs in behind that unsettled Dortmund's backline, but Havertz lacked the sharpness in the final third to convert those moments into genuine opportunities.

For the time being, Havertz remains a versatile option capable of covering multiple positions. But if the Dortmund display is any indication, central midfield is one role where Arsenal are unlikely to extract his best form.

Defensive Woes Mounting

Arsenal's 2025–26 Premier League title-winning campaign was underpinned by a formidable defensive record. Mikel Arteta's side shipped just 27 goals throughout the season—the lowest tally in the division and among the most miserly in the league's history.

The preseason, however, has painted a starkly different picture.

Conceding once in a 4–1 victory over Girona raised few alarms, but successive defeats to Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund—three goals conceded in each—have highlighted some troubling vulnerabilities at the back.

The absence of William Saliba is clearly taking its toll. The French defender is already anticipated to miss the early stages of the upcoming Premier League season, leaving a notable void in Arsenal's defensive setup.

Cristhian Mosquera is still young and relatively untested at this level, while Riccardo Calafiori, though capable of operating centrally, is not a natural centre-back. It is little wonder, then, that the Gunners are actively pursuing another defensive addition before the campaign gets underway.