Arsenal Resume Their 2025-26 UCL Campaign With A 2-0 Win Over Athletic Bilbao

Martinelli and Trossard inspire Arsenal to 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in UCL opener

Gabriel Martinelli's hunger transformed a tense night in Bilbao into a statement of intent for Arsenal. Brought on when the contest still looked finely balanced, the Brazilian winger injected pace and purpose, with his sharpness swinging momentum toward the visitors.

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Within moments of his introduction, 36 seconds, he latched onto a precise through ball, racing clear of his marker before sliding the opener past an advancing goalkeeper.

The breakthrough shifted the tone of the evening. Athletic, roared on by a relentless home crowd, had dictated much of the opening spell with their direct running and pressing.

Alejandro Berenguer’s surging attacks down the flank troubled Arsenal’s defence, while Viktor Gyökeres squandered a gilt-edged chance with a close-range header before suffering a heavy collision that left him bandaged for the remaining parts of the match.

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It was a first half that tested Arsenal’s grit rather than their creativity. But the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad showed in the second period.

With Martinelli stretching the backline and Leandro Trossard drifting into clever pockets, the Gunners carried more threat. Athletic’s energy levels dipped, and the North London side began to probe with greater control.

The combination of the two substitutes proved decisive once more as Martinelli darted down the wing, outmanoeuvred his marker, and cut the ball back for Trossard, who squeezed home the second goal with minutes to spare.

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For Martinelli, it was a reminder of his enduring quality after a stretch where opportunities had been limited by new arrivals and competition for places.

For Trossard, it was proof of his reliability as a game-changer, even when starting on the bench. Together, they embodied Arsenal’s improved depth, the very kind of depth that had been missing in previous campaigns.

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The 2-0 victory may not have carried the swagger of a dominant display, but it underlined Arsenal’s ability to weather pressure and still emerge with both points and a clean sheet.

Arsenal's performance served as evidence that the summer’s heavy investment has equipped Arteta with the kind of options required to navigate nights like these, where patience and bench quality decide outcomes.

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Arsenal’s European journey resumes with confidence intact, and the message is clear - this is a squad prepared not solely to compete, but to adapt and find answers when tested.