Arsenal launched their Champions League campaign with a disciplined 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés, with substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard proving decisive in the second half.
Bilbao began brightly, pushing Arsenal back and unsettling Mikel Arteta’s side in the opening stages.
The Gunners, however, carved out the clearest chance before the interval when Viktor Gyökeres met Jurrien Timber’s cross with a diving header that flashed just wide.
Arsenal managed only four efforts on goal in the first period, their lowest total in a half since December’s League Cup tie against Crystal Palace.
Arteta’s changes altered the game. Martinelli, introduced moments earlier, struck first in the 72nd minute after being released by an audacious flick from Trossard, coolly finishing past Unai Simón.
The Brazilian then turned provider in the 87th, cutting the ball back for Trossard, whose shot deflected over the Bilbao goalkeeper.
Declan Rice orchestrated play with authority, creating more chances than any other player on the pitch and leading Arsenal’s progress into the final third. The victory extended Arsenal’s remarkable streak against Spanish opposition to six consecutive European wins, their longest such run in the club’s history.
For the first time, two Arsenal substitutes combined for multiple goals in a Champions League match—a testament to both squad depth and Arteta’s timing.
