Arsenal's Champions League campaign commences with an away match against Athletic Club in Bilbao, marking their return to the competition with sights set on glory. The match kicks off at 5:45pm BST at the Estadio de San Mames.
Team News and Injury Updates
Arsenal has received a boost with the potential return of William Saliba, who has travelled with the squad to Spain after recovering from an ankle injury. He missed the 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest but has since returned to training. However, Bukayo Saka remains sidelined with a hamstring issue, and Mikel Arteta has indicated that he is still some way from being fully fit. Martin Ødegaard is also out with a shoulder injury, along with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz who remain long-term absentees. Ben White is also unavailable for selection.
Athletic Club will be without key player Nico Williams due to an adductor injury. Other absentees for Athletic Club include Benat Prados and Unai Egiluz, both with knee injuries. Aymeric Laporte is also unavailable, not being included in the squad for the league phase of the Champions League. Yeray Alvarez is serving a 10-month ban.
Form and Expectations
Arsenal enters the match in good form, having won three of their first four Premier League games. They are looking to emulate last season's run to the semi-finals of the Champions League. Athletic Club, meanwhile, are also having a good start to their La Liga season, also winning three of their first four matches. However, their promising start ended with a 1-0 defeat to Alaves.
Arsenal defeated Athletic Club 3-0 in a pre-season friendly. Goals came from Viktor Gyökeres, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz.
Where to Watch
In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with coverage beginning at 5pm BST. TNT Sports subscribers can also stream the match live via the Discovery+ app. In the USA, the match will be shown on Paramount+.
Predicted Lineups
Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Simón; Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Vesga, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Sannadi.
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Rice, Nwaneri; Madueke, Gyökeres, Eze.
Match Details
The match is the first competitive meeting between Arsenal and Athletic Club. The referee for the match is Donatas Rumsas (LTU), and the VAR is Pol van Boekel (NED).
