Positives & negatives from Arsenal's Champions League opener in Spain

Arsenal got their Champions League campaign off to a promising start with a hard-fought victory against a high pressing and determined Athletic Club Bilbao in Spain tonight.
Athletic Club v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1
Athletic Club v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 | David Ramos/GettyImages
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Negative #2: Eberechi Eze struggled out on the left

Alex Berenguer, Eberechi Eze
Athletic de Bilbao v Arsenal - UEFA Champions League | Soccrates Images/GettyImages

Arsenal found it difficult to get Eberechi Eze into the game over on the left hand side.

Marginalised and tightly marked, Eze was a passenger for long spells in this one. He looked like he was still trying to adjust to his new club's patterns of play and passing lanes.

Eze came short when he should have been looking for the ball long. It was no surprise when he was hauled off with 20 minutes to go and replaced by Gabriel Martinelli.


Positive #3: Squad depth made all the difference

Gabriel Martinelli
Athletic Club v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 | David Ramos/GettyImages

Arsenal's strength in depth paid dividends when substitute Martinelli latched onto substitute Trossard's flick on the half-way line before planting the ball underneath Unai Simón to put Arsenal ahead.

Having such squad depth is a luxury that Arteta did not have at his disposal last season and the Spaniard can have no excuses this campaign.

Youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri both featured in last season's tournament. It is a signal of how far Arsenal have come over the summer that neither featured in Bilbao.


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