Champions League: Early Basque Test for Arteta’s Arsenal 

Athletic Bilbao vs Arsenal

Europe’s flagship competition kicks off on Tuesday when Champions League: Athletic Club vs Arsenal is the action on offer at the San Mames Stadium. 

Ernesto Valverde’s Bilbao finished fourth in La Liga last term to qualify for the Champions League and they have started well in the Primera Division, though they did fall to a surprise defeat at home to Deportivo Alaves on Saturday. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are trying to chase down Liverpool, who took an early lead in the Premier League title race and they had a convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The new format of the Champions League divided opinion last season; with 36 teams playing in a league which runs until January, but, in my opinion, it certainly kept the tournament relevant better than the old group system. Arsenal will be keen to come out of the blocks quickly but they will have to be near their best to take a win away from the Basque.    

 

Talking Points

Bilbao’s fast start hit the breaks

Three wins from three launched Athletic Bilbao’s league campaign superbly and lifted them up to the leading group in the La Liga table. After winning a five goal thriller against Sevilla in their opening game Bilbao’s home match against Rayo Vallecano was a tighter affair as Oihan Sancet scored a second half penalty to win the game. Bilbao followed that up with an impressive 2-1 win away to Real Betis but on Saturday Valverde’s men hit the skids.   

With 57% possession, 12 shots to four and three to two on target, Athletic Club dominated much of the game, but an own goal from Alex Berenguer, midway through the second half, was enough for the visitors to complete their smash and grab and Bilbao tasted defeat for the first time this term. The Athletic Club vs Arsenal betting odds say the La Liga side is about to get a double dose, but they carry plenty of threat and this is certainly not an easy opening for the Gunners. The return from injury of Sancet is a boost for Bilbao but there are doubts over the fitness of winger Nico Williams, who picked up a muscular niggle while on duty with Spain and he missed the defeat against Alaves. 

 

Arsenal new boys are settling nicely

In a frenetic summer transfer window, Liverpool grabbed the headlines with a £400m spend, but down in North London, they are pretty happy with their business too. Arsenal’s new boys were on display against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and they stole the show as midfield ace Martin Zubimendi scored a brace and striker Viktor Gyokores bagged his third goal in four league games. Former Real Soceidad star Zubimendi scored a stunning volley from the edge of the penalty area to get the ball rolling, and that after Noni Madueke had sent over the cross. Eberechi Eze was making his full debut and he crossed for Gyokores to double the lead, and then Zubimendi headed home a cross from Leandro Trossard to make it 3-0.

Gyokores scored his very first goal in Arsenal colours when the Gunners beat Athletic Bilbao, 3-0, in their final pre-season friendly, and the £63.5m fee which brought him from Sporting Lisbon to the Emirates looks to be very good value already. And it was Zubimendi who teed that goal up as he started his own Premier League journey in fine style.

Arteta has brought some serious talent into his squad to add to the proven quality of the likes of Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli; this is a team which can challenge in England and Europe.       

 

History

This is a meeting of two highly successful teams in domestic football who are yet to make their mark in European competition. Bilbao are eight times La Liga winners and they won their 24^th Copa del Rey in 2024 but they are yet to succeed in Europe.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have won the English top flight on 13 occasions and the FA Cup 14 times but they are yet to win the Champions League or the Europa League. In terms of recent form, the Gunners finished their pre-season campaign with a win over Bilbao, but the two teams have identical form in their league endeavours so far, with three wins and a single loss.        

 

Betting Tip

Bilbao are at SBOTOP odds of 3.81 to win this opener with the draw at 3.45 and Arsenal at 1.91.

While the Athletic Club vs Arsenal highlights are likely to see the visitors command the ball for much of the game, the hosts will break quickly in transition and I think that will make for an entertaining bout with plenty of goalmouth action. 

   

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