Athletic Bilbao and Arsenal clash in their first-ever competitive match. Arsenal aims for a historic win against Spanish teams, despite key player injuries. Athletic Bilbao, missing Nico Williams, seeks to overcome their Champions League past. Arsenal, with a strong squad, is favored for a statement victory.
Athletic Bilbao and Arsenal are set to write a new chapter in their history as they clash for the first time in a competitive fixture at the iconic San Mames. This highly anticipated encounter marks the opening of their Champions League league phase campaign in the 2025/26 season.
Arsenal's resurgence on the European stage has been remarkable, and they've become a force to be reckoned with in the Champions League. Athletic Bilbao, on the other hand, are embarking on only their third-ever season in the competition and are determined to make a statement against one of the tournament's modern powerhouses.
Arsenal's journey in the previous Champions League season saw them reach the semifinals, a testament to their growing stature. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao secured their place in this year's competition after a stellar domestic campaign, finishing fourth in La Liga with 70 points. Only Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid surpassed them, with Villarreal trailing closely behind.
Despite their impressive eight Spanish championship titles, Athletic's previous Champions League ventures in 1998-99 and 2014-15 both ended in the group stage. Last year's painful 7-1 Europa League semi-final defeat at the hands of Manchester United has fueled their desire to prove their mettle on the grandest stage.
Athletic Bilbao had a promising start to the season, securing three consecutive league victories against Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano, and Real Betis. However, the international break seemed to disrupt their momentum, as they suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat at home to Alaves, courtesy of an own goal by Alex Berenguer.
As they prepare for their first-ever competitive showdown with Arsenal, Athletic will be eager to showcase more resilience than they did in preseason when Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 victory in the Emirates Cup.
Athletic Bilbao faces several key absences, including former Arsenal target Nico Williams, who is sidelined with an adductor injury. Aymeric Laporte has also been left out of the squad for the Champions League league phase.
Further injury concerns plague the team, with Benat Prados (knee) and Unai Egiluz (ACL) unavailable. Yeray Alvarez is also serving a doping ban. Inigo Lekue is doubtful due to an adductor problem.
Despite these setbacks, Athletic boasts potent attacking options. Inaki Williams will lead the charge on the right flank, providing pace and power. Oihan Sancet and Mikel Jauregizar will aim to control the midfield and link up with their captain, posing a significant challenge for Arsenal's defense.
Arsenal's quest for European glory continues, with their last continental triumph dating back to the 1994 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Under Mikel Arteta's guidance, there's a growing belief that the Gunners can once again contend for Champions League supremacy.
After ending their seven-year absence from Europe's elite competition, Arteta led Arsenal to the quarter-finals in 2024 and the semi-finals in 2025. Backed by a substantial £250m summer recruitment drive, Arsenal harbors genuine aspirations of winning both the Premier League and Champions League titles. They have already secured nine points from their first four domestic fixtures.
Even with Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Kai Havertz sidelined, Arsenal comfortably defeated Nottingham Forest on Saturday, with Martin Zubimendi scoring twice and Viktor Gyökeres netting his fourth goal in as many matches.
A victory in Bilbao would mark a historic achievement for Arsenal, making them the first team in European Cup/Champions League history to defeat Spanish opposition in six consecutive encounters, having already triumphed over Real Madrid (twice), Sevilla (twice), and Girona.
However, Martin Odegaard sustained a second shoulder injury, adding to Arsenal's injury woes. He joins Saliba (ankle) and Christian Nørgaard (knock) on the list of concerns. Saka (hamstring), Havertz (knee), and Gabriel Jesus (knee) are confirmed absentees.
With a crucial match against Manchester City on the horizon, Arteta may adopt a pragmatic approach to his team selection. Given the squad's depth, some rotation is anticipated.
Although Arsenal's defensive lineup may undergo some changes, Athletic Bilbao, weakened by the absence of Nico Williams, may struggle to exploit any vulnerabilities.
Even without Odegaard and Saka, Arteta has a wealth of attacking talent at his disposal, making it difficult to imagine anything other than a statement victory for the visitors as they kick off their Champions League campaign.