Arsenal Spoils Athletic’s European Return

Athletic Club’s long-awaited return to the UEFA Champions League after eleven years ended in disappointment. At a packed San Mamés, Ernesto Valverde’s side couldn’t overcome the strength of Arsenal, who sealed the match thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, both combining in a lethal connection that decided the contest.

The match began with an intense Athletic pressing high and creating chances through Berenguer and Jauregizar. However, a lack of precision in front of goal prevented the home side from taking the lead. The clearest opportunity came with a header from Oihan Sancet, which went over the crossbar of David Raya.

Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, grew stronger as the half went on. Viktor Gyökeres had the best chances, including a header that went wide and another strike that forced a save from Unai Simón. Despite the efforts of both sides, the score remained goalless at halftime.

Martinelli and Trossard Make the Difference

The second half opened up, with both teams trading attacks. Athletic tried to surprise on the counter, but the London defense stood firm. Then, Martinelli, coming off the bench, latched onto a long pass from Trossard, outpaced Gorosabel and Paredes, and finished coolly past Simón to make it 1-0.

It was a heavy blow for the Basque side, who attempted to respond with shots from Williams and more efforts from Sancet, but Arsenal’s quality prevailed once again. A brilliant run down the left by Martinelli ended with a cutback for Trossard, who finished with an unusual but effective strike to seal the 2-0 victory.

A Tough Start for the Lions

The result made it clear that Athletic Club will find it challenging to compete against teams of Arsenal’s caliber in this year’s Champions League. The absences of Nico Williams and Aymeric Laporte were felt, while key players like Iñaki Williams and Sancet couldn’t make the difference.

For the English side, Arteta’s plan worked perfectly: contain the early push from Athletic and decide the game with fresh attacking options. With this win, Arsenal shows they will be serious contenders in the group stage, while Athletic must bounce back quickly to keep their European hopes alive.

All the Goals