Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score and assist as Arsenal began their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao. The Brazilian forward had been on the pitch for just 36 seconds when he raced onto a pass from fellow substitute Leandro Trossard and slotted past Unai Simón to break the deadlock with 18 minutes remaining.
Trossard then added a second in stoppage time, again set up by Martinelli, to secure the victory. Manager Mikel Arteta had spoken of the importance of depth after last season’s shortcomings, and his substitutes delivered on a night when seven key players were absent.
Arsenal dominated possession early but struggled to create clear chances against a resilient Athletic side. Noni Madueke was a consistent threat on the right, forcing a fine save from Simón in the second half, while Viktor Gyökeres headed just wide. At the other end, Gabriel Magalhães made several crucial blocks and was left bloodied after a clash of heads.
The win was a statement of intent from Arsenal, who have invested heavily in their squad and hope to make a historic run in Europe this season. Athletic, true to their identity, competed fiercely but ultimately could not find a way past David Raya.
