please log in to view this image Venue: Estadio de San Mamés Date: Tuesday 16th September 2025 KO time: 17:45 BST No head-to-head record as this will be the first ever competitive meeting between the two teams. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
They have started the season pretty well - 9 pts for 12 and in 4th place - but they did lose their latest game at home to Alaves
Nico Williams - their most coveted player - will be unavailable for the game, so that's a boost to us. However, doesn't seem like Odegaard or Saka will be ready for this one. Nonetheless, it's going to be a tough game regardless. They are a historic club in Spain and have a huge, vocal fanbase - the key will be to try to weather the storm for the opening 15-20 mins as they'll come out the blocks with a point to prove. We'll need to silence them pretty quickly. I'd be content with a draw to be honest, but a win would be huge. This is (arguably) our most difficult away fixture to begin the campaign.
I know it was only a pre season match, but I was at the Emirates and Athletic and us had decent starting 11's, we demolished them basically. They have only scored 6 in 5 games so can't see them scoring many (if any) and they have conceeded 5 to pretty average teams in La Liga. Taking into account we have scored 11 and only conceeded 1 goal in our 5 games. If we play sharp and professionally, there is no reason why we can not come away with all 3 points!
I fully expect us to win this comfortably, anything else would be an underperformance. As usual, we need to be focused and professional.
Batter them with this: Kepa MLS Hincapie Mosquera White Norgaard Merino Trossard Eze Nwaneri Martinelli Subs Raya Timber Gabriel Calafiori Rice Zubimendi Madueke Dowman Odegaard (?) Gyokeres And then take the prize for the best bench the world has ever seen?
I have to say I think we might win it finally this year (said this before) but last Season we narrowly lost to PSG in the Semis despite missing 4-5 key players. Same situation this year and our depth is far more equip to handle it. I also think Artetas more conservative approach to big games works well in this competition. There's not really side i'm worried about - honestly Liverpool and PSG are probably our best competition.
Yep it's going to be tougher than I think some people are making out The atmosphere will be hostile for us and will spur them on. I'm just happy that we have players like Madueke, Zubimendi and Mosquera to play when Odegaard, Saka and Saliba are out.
I would have preferred Nwaneri starting ahead of Merino, but whatever. That team (and bench) is good enough to get a positive result this evening.
That midfield is way too negative. Gutted to see Nwaneri shunted to the bench. Can't be good for the kid to see he doesn't start when Odegaard is injured.
20 mins gone and this hasn't been good from Arsenal so far. We've lost a lot of the second balls, giving away the ball cheaply and giving away a lot of silly/immature fouls for nothing. We keep having our momentum broken up each time we break forward with a loose pass, loose touch or silly foul. Need to improve so much more.
Unlucky for Eze to not score there as the Bilbao player makes an excellent last ditch interception. Great pressure from Timber and Madueke though.
You can tell that early yellow card has affected Rice because he's reluctant to put in a challenge or make an interception.
Gyokeres is through but the ball into him isn't the easiest to take in his stride. He's forced slightly wider than he'd like and the shot is a comfortable save for the keeper.
Gyokeres clashes heads with Gabriel when they both went for that cross for Rice. He's bleeding quite a lot from his head. He might be forced to come off. Not ideal at all..
Rice needs to be careful, that foul wasn't yellow card worthy, but European refs usually have a lower tolerance threshold for these challenges.
I feel bad for Madueke there. He has two players doubling up on him and needs an option to give the ball to, but there's no-one there and he ends up giving a foul away.
What is Gabriel doing? He just gave the ball away to a Bilbao striker under zero pressure and they nearly score. Shocking pass.
