Athletic Bilbao vs Arsenal: Match Preview, Latest Team News and TV Watching Guide | OneFootball

Arsenal Face Athletic Club in Crucial Champions League Opener

Arsenal travel to Bilbao tonight for their Champions League opener against Athletic Club, looking to set the tone for a campaign that they hope will go deeper than last season’s semi-final disappointment. This is a significant test of Mikel Arteta’s side as they juggle European ambition with a challenging domestic schedule.

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Confidence Returns Ahead of European Clash

The Gunners arrive in the Basque Country buoyed by a 3-0 home victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend. That result calmed nerves after a narrow defeat to Liverpool before the international break, but injury concerns continue to disrupt Arteta’s plans.

Arsenal are seeking to end a long wait for European glory. Their only Champions League final appearance came back in 2006, when Barcelona triumphed in Paris. Since returning to Europe’s elite competition in 2023, Arsenal have been consistent but have fallen short at the key moments, losing to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals two years ago and Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s semi-finals.

Arteta knows the importance of making a statement. “We want to start strong, we want to put last season’s pain behind us,” he said in his pre-match press conference. Olympiacos, Atletico Madrid, Slavia Prague, Bayern, Club Brugge, Inter Milan and Kairat Almaty await in the league phase, but first up is a difficult trip to Bilbao.

Athletic Club’s Strong Start and Key Absences

Athletic Club have made an excellent start in LaLiga, winning their first three games before suffering a 1-0 defeat at home to Alaves. Ernesto Valverde’s side sealed their return to the Champions League for the first time since 2014/15 with a fifth-place finish last term, though they did lose to Manchester United in the Europa League semi-finals.

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The Basque club will be without star winger Nico Williams, who picked up an adductor injury while playing for Spain. Benat Prados and Unai Egiluz are also sidelined, while Yeray Alvarez remains suspended following a UEFA ban. Those absences leave Valverde with key decisions to make.

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Arsenal’s Selection Puzzle

Arteta’s side are not at full strength either. Martin Odegaard is out after re-injuring his shoulder against Forest, while Ben White is absent again after returning to the bench at the weekend. William Saliba is expected to return after an ankle issue, and Christian Norgaard is pushing for involvement. Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain unavailable, adding to the strain on Arsenal’s squad ahead of a major domestic showdown with Manchester City on Sunday.

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These absences will test Arsenal’s depth, though Arteta has stressed the importance of rotation early in the season. “We need everyone ready because this schedule is relentless,” he said.

Prediction for San Mamés Encounter

Athletic’s early-season form and the intimidating San Mamés atmosphere should not be underestimated, but their defeat to Alaves and the absence of Nico Williams could blunt their attack. Arsenal’s confidence from the Forest win may carry them through.

A narrow Arsenal victory looks a likely outcome, with a 1-0 scoreline predicted. This would give the Gunners momentum heading into a busy month that includes fixtures against Newcastle and Olympiacos.

This will be the first competitive meeting between Athletic Club and Arsenal in European competition, adding another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a fascinating contest.