Arsenal are set to begin their pursuit of their first-ever Champions League title away against Athletic Club. This is the first game in their league phase in the 2025/26 Champions League campaign.
This is only Athletic Bilbao’s third appearance in the competition, having previously featured in 2014/15 and 1998/99. Ernesto Valverde’s side secured their position in this season’s edition by finishing fourth in LaLiga last season.
Match Details
- Fixture: Athletic Club vs. Arsenal
- Date: 16 September 2025
- Time: 05:45 PM BST / 10:15 PM IST
- Venue: Estadio de San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain
- Competition: UEFA Champions League
Where To Watch
- UK: TNT Sport
- India: Sony Ten, SonyLiv
- Australia: Stan Sport
- Canada: DAZN
- USA: Paramount+, TUDN
Match Preview
Athletic Club: The Basque Pride
Athletic Club, commonly known as Athletic Bilbao, is a unique club in Spain. They have adopted a “basque-only” policy, meaning they only sign players born or trained in the Basque Country. This philosophy is tied to Basque nationalism and aims to preserve the region’s unique cultural identity.
After guiding them to a fourth-place finish last year, Ernesto Valverde has once again enjoyed a strong start to this season. His side won their opening three LaLiga matches before slipping up against Alaves on Saturday.
Athletic Club Strengths
Athletic Bilbao are hot and in-form right now, and this may be the perfect time for them to face a team of Arsenal’s caliber. The Estadio de San Mames was a fortress last season. They won 11 and lost only two of their 19 home games in La Liga. They also conceded just 13 goals in 19 home games, so it won’t be easy for the Gunners to break them down.
- Key Players: Inaki Williams (Attacker), Oihan Sancet (Midfielder), Unai Simon (Goalkeeper)
- New Signings: Aymeric Laporte, Jesus Areso, Robert Navarro
- Players Out: Nico Williams, Benat Prados, Unai Eguiluz, Yeray Álvarez
Arsenal: The Gunners
Arsenal are back in second place in the Premier League as they chase down the reigning champions, Liverpool. Despite being a dominant force in England and Europe for several decades, Arsenal has yet to win a European trophy.
Mikel Arteta will have his eyes set on changing that record. Arsenal, however, will be without several key players, including skipper Martin Odegaaard, in their Champions League opener.
Arsenal Strengths
Arsenal have added plenty of depth in their squad, something that they lacked last season. They enjoyed a very strong window, bringing in a much-needed striker in Viktor Gyokeres, along with Eberechi Eze, among others. This added squad depth should benefit them if they wish to compete in the latter stages of the competition and keep up with fixture congestion.
- Key Players: Viktor Gyokeres (Attacker), Eberechi Eze (Attacker), Declan Rice (Midfielder)
- New Signings: Piero Hincapie, Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres, Cristhian Mosquera, Noni Madueke, Christian Nørgaard, Martin Zubimendi.
- Players Out: Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, William Saliba
Predicted Lineup
- Athletic Club Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Simon (GK); Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berichiche, Vesga, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Sannadi.
- Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Athletic Club (4-3-3): Raya (GK); White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze.
Head-to-Head Stats
Their opening clash in this season’s Champions League will mark the first competitive showdown between Arsenal and Athletic. The two sides faced off in this year’s Emirates Cup, a pre-season friendly tournament. Mikel Arteta’s side triumphed in that encounter 3-0.
- Matches Played: 0
- Arsenal Wins: 0
- Draws: 0
- Nottingham Forest Wins: 0
Players to Watch Out For
Athletic Club
- Inaki Williams: The Ghanian international has endured a rather quiet start to the season, having not registered a goal in any of the games he’s featured in so far. However, there’s little doubt over his abilities as he regularly performs for the Basque club. He even scored five goals in last season’s Europa League campaign.
- Oihan Sancet: Oihan Sancet was Athletic Club’s star last season, scoring 15 goals in LaLiga alone. Featuring as an attacking midfielder, Sancet has a real thirst for goals and even scored more than Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior last season.
- Unai Simon: Unai Simon features as the first-choice keeper for Spain ahead of the likes of Arsenal’s David Raya, a real testament to the player’s ability. Another standout performer for Athletic Club last season, he boasted the best save percentage in the league. He even kept 10 clean sheets, just one less than Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, despite playing 9 games fewer.
Arsenal
- Viktor Gyokeres: Arsenal’s new striker will be loving life in the English capital, scoring 3 goals in four Premier League matches. He has shown a clinical nature in front of goal, scoring three goals from just seven shots. This metric could prove crucial as Arsenal will aim to break down the Spanish side at their fortress.
- Declan Rice: The English midfielder provides much-needed stability to Arsenal’s midfield. Over the years, Rice has not only been excellent for Arsenal but has earned a name as one of the best midfielders in the world. With Saka’s absence, he is also in charge of set-pieces and can provide excellent deliveries.
- Eberechi Eze: Arsenal poached Eze on deadline day away from rivals Tottenham Hotspur following an injury to Kai Havertz. Eze made his first Premier League start for the Gunners on Saturday at home in a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest and ended the night with an assist. Should he start ahead of Martinelli, Eze will feast on his Champions League debut.
What To Expect?
We can expect Arsenal to dominate the majority of the game and will viciously try to break down Athletic Club’s defence. Athletic Club, however, are renowned for their excellent defence in LaLiga last season, conceding only 0.8 goals per match.
The Gunners will be shooting on all fronts and may pose as a threat too powerful for Ernesto Valverde to neutralize. The last time Athletic Club faced an English side was Manchester United in last season’s Europa League semi-final. They lost the tie 7-1 on aggregate, and if that is anything to go by, they will be fearful of Mikel Arteta’s side.
Prediction
Despite the injury concerns, Arsenal have plenty of depth this season to take down Athletic Bilbao. Despite their strong defensive record in LaLiga, Arsenal could go on a rampage. Nico Williams’ injury also hinders the side’s ability to threaten Arsenal’s defence. Mikel Areta’s side may enjoy a comfortable 2-0 victory to start their Champions League campaign.
Conclusion
As Arsenal prepare to face an in-form Athletic Bilbao, the clash promises to be a test of squad depth, resilience, and being clinical in front of goal. Arsenal will look to secure a dominant result in their first competitive encounter with the Spanish side. Ernesto Valverde will set up a defensively strong structure and will attempt an upset over an injury-ridden Arsenal lineup.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
