UEFA Champions League League Stage - 1
Athletic Club 0 - 2 FT Arsenal
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Declan Rice 7'
HT
61' ↓ R. Navarro ↑U. Gomez
↓ V. Gyökeres ↑L. Trossard 65'
68' ↓ O. Sancet ↑G. Guruzeta
68' ↓ A. Boiro ↑Y. Berchiche
↓ E. Eze ↑G. Martinelli 71'
G. Martinelli (L. Trossard) 72'
81' ↓ Athletic Club ↑N. Serrano
81' ↓ M. Vesga ↑A. Rego
Noni Madueke 84'
85' Mikel Jauregizar
L. Trossard (G. Martinelli) 87'
Martín Zubimendi 90'+1
↓ R. Calafiori ↑P. Hincapie 90'+1
↓ N. Madueke ↑C. Norgaard 90'+1
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Athletic Club
Goalkeepers
U. Simon 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
A. Gorosabel 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
D. Vivian
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
2
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
A. Paredes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Boiro 
GHOST
16
Actions
16
Actions
68
Minutes
6.9
Rating
Midfielders
M. Jauregizar
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Vesga
LATE SHIFT
9
Late Mins
9
Late Mins
81
Total Mins
81
Entry
A. Berenguer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
O. Sancet
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
68
Entry
R. Navarro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
Forwards
I. Williams
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
A. Padilla 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
M. Santos
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
J. Areso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Lekue
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Y. Berchiche
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. De Luis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Ruiz de Galarreta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
U. Gomez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
20
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Rego
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
G. Guruzeta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Sannadi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Serrano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Arsenal
Goalkeepers
D. Raya
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
J. Timber 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
42%
Pass Acc
C. Mosquera 
MAGNET
92
Activity
92
Activity
79
Passes
13
Duels
Gabriel 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
83%
Duel Win %
R. Calafiori
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
82%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
M. Merino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Zubimendi
MAGNET
82
Activity
82
Activity
72
Passes
10
Duels
D. Rice
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
N. Madueke 
NPC
89
Minutes
89
Minutes
22%
Pass Acc
6.2
Rating
V. Gyökeres
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
E. Eze
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
71
Total Mins
71
Entry
BENCH
K. Arrizabalaga
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
T. Setford
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
W. Saliba
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
P. Hincapie
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Lewis-Skelly
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Norgaard
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Nwaneri
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Dowman
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
G. Martinelli 
SUPER SUB
1
G + A
1
G + A
19
Minutes
8.2
Rating
L. Trossard 
CLUTCH HERO
87
Goal Time
87
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
8.2
Rating
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/08/2025 | Arsenal | 3 - 0 | Athletic Club | Emirates Cup | Emirates Stadium |
09/08/2025
Athletic Club Win
Arsenal Win
Draw
League Standings
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +19
P: 8 GD: +14
P: 8 GD: +12
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +9
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: -13
P: 8 GD: -11
P: 8 GD: -14
P: 8 GD: -13
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Trossard and Martinelli's Bench Brilliance Settles San Mamés Thriller
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 34/100. Arsenal's substitutes delivered a masterclass in Champions League precision, turning San Mamés into a fortress of red and white dominance.
The Substitute Strike Force Takes Centre Stage
When Arsenal sent Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli into the fray, the narrative shifted decisively. The pair orchestrated a lethal partnership that exposed Athletic Club's defensive vulnerabilities with surgical precision. Martinelli's 72nd-minute opener—a finish from Trossard's assist—broke the deadlock with the intensity of a team that knew exactly what was required. Fifteen minutes later, the roles reversed: Trossard's clinical finish, set up by Martinelli, sealed a 2-0 victory that never flattered Arsenal's dominance. The balance of power at San Mamés tilted irrevocably in the visitors' favour.
Arsenal's Possession Mastery Suffocates the Basques
The numbers tell a story of complete control. Arsenal's 62% possession translated into 490 passes—409 of them accurate—creating a suffocating web that Athletic Club simply couldn't penetrate. The home side managed just 38% of the ball, their 11 shots yielding only two on target. David Raya was rarely troubled in the Arsenal goal, making two comfortable saves as his team's defensive solidity proved as impressive as their attacking prowess. Athletic Club's 0.35 expected goals underlined their toothlessness; Arsenal's 1.28 xG reflected their ruthless efficiency.
The Turning Point: When Substitutes Became Executioners
The introduction of Trossard and Martinelli marked the moment the match's stakes were decided. Arsenal's patient build-up play—83% passing accuracy—created the platform for these two to deliver the knockout blows. Athletic Club never recovered from Martinelli's opener; the second goal was merely confirmation of a verdict already written. This wasn't an upset—it was a statement of intent from a side hungry to make noise in Europe's elite competition.
Key Questions
How decisive was Arsenal's substitute impact?
Trossard and Martinelli combined for both goals and an assist each. Their introduction transformed Arsenal's attack from threatening to lethal.
Did Athletic Club create genuine chances?
No. Only 2 of 11 shots found the target. Arsenal's possession and defensive discipline restricted the Basques to scraps.
What does this mean for Arsenal's European campaign?
A perfect start. Three points and a clean sheet signal Arsenal are serious contenders in the Champions League this season.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Continental Survival at Stake in Bilbao
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 8/100. Arsenal's relentless march toward direct top-eight qualification meets an Athletic side desperate to escape the bottom-dwellers of the league phase.
The Setup
San Mamés hosts a clash of extremes on September 16, 2025. Arsenal sit comfortably at the summit of the table with a flawless Form consisting of six wins from six matches, boasting a staggering +16 goal difference. In contrast, Athletic Club find themselves languishing in 28th position. For the hosts, this isn't just a match; it is a fight for their competitive life as they aim to claw back into the top-24 playoff spots. While the Gunners possess superior tactical Balance, the Basque side relies on the intimidating atmosphere of their home turf to bridge the quality gap.
Key Battle
The match will be decided by the clash between Arsenal's elite pressing unit and Athletic’s low-block defensive structure. Without individual stars highlighted, the narrative shifts to collective discipline. The Arsenal midfield will look to dictate the tempo and suffocate the hosts, while Athletic’s back line must endure 90 minutes of constant positional rotations. If the home side can survive the initial onslaught, they may find joy on the counter, but the statistical Stakes heavily favour the visitors' efficiency.
Our Prediction
Arsenal's technical Stars and recent momentum suggest a professional away performance. Expect the Gunners to monopolise possession and gradually break down a tiring Athletic defence. A goal in each half should secure a 0-2 victory for the London side, further cementing their status as tournament favourites while leaving Athletic in a precarious position.