LATE SUAREZ GOAL AS BARCA BEAT ARSENAL
An excellent late goal from Luis Suarez gave Barcelona a 2-1 friendly win over Arsenal at a packed Nou Camp in Spain on Sunday.
In their final pre-season game, Arsenal named a fairly strong starting XI and led at half time through Pierre-emerick Aubameyang’s fine individual strike.
But Barca were dominant after the break and levelled through Ainsley Maitland-niles’ calamitous own goal.
Former Liverpool player Suarez then came off the bench to score a clinical late volley for the Spanish League champions.
Lionel Messi was an unused substitute but a crowd of 98,812 did get their first glimpse of £107m signing Antoine Griezmann.
The Frenchman was fairly quiet and his best moment came with a disallowed goal for an off-side after an excellent pass from Ivan Rakitic.
Arsenal - without record signing Nicolas
Pepe - counter-attacked well in the first half and Aubameyang put them ahead with a brilliant turn and finish from 16 yards shrugging off Jordi Alba to lash into the top corner.
That shocked the home crowd and after half time, Barcelona were completely on top of the game.
Bernd Leno saved well from Ousmane Dembele twice before Maitland-niles passed beyond him without looking for an own goal. Seventeen-year-old Bukayo Saka looked lively for the Gunners as a late sub but Suarez prevented a penalty shootout when he ran onto Sergi Roberto’s lofted through ball to drive a volley past Leno.
Arsenal faces Newcastle in their Premier League opener next Sunday. (BBC)