UEFA Champions League – Athletic Club Vs Arsenal Preview, Lineups And Prediction

The cathedral of Basque football, San Mamés, is set to light up on Tuesday night (September 16) as Athletic Club welcomes Arsenal in a UEFA Champions League curtain-raiser brimming with intrigue, nostalgia, and ambition.

For Athletic, this isn’t just another European night, it’s a long-awaited homecoming. After more than a decade away, Ernesto Valverde’s men clawed their way back into Europe’s elite with last season’s eye-catching fourth-place finish in La Liga. Their reward? A stern test against one of England’s finest, Arsenal, a side hungry to push beyond last season’s semifinal heartbreak.

But the hosts will be without two cornerstones: the electrifying Nico Williams remains sidelined through injury, while defensive stalwart Yeray Álvarez serves a suspension. That places the creative burden squarely on Oihan Sancet and Iñaki Williams, both capable of igniting the San Mamés crowd with their flair and fire.

Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, returns to his homeland for a reunion laced with sentiment but zero sentimentality. His Gunners have their own wounds, as Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Ben White miss out through injury. Yet Arteta’s faith in his summer recruits is unwavering, expect Martín Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, and Viktor Gyökeres to spearhead Arsenal’s fresh assault on Europe.

Predicted Lineups

• Athletic Club: Simón; Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri; De Galarreta, Jauregizar, Sancet; I. Williams, Berenguer, Sannadi
• Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Merino, Rice; Madueke, Gyökeres, Martinelli

Numbers That Matter

• Athletic return to the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2014/15, with just two prior appearances (1998/99 being the other).
• The Lions have triumphed in 14 of their last 18 European games at San Mamés, making Bilbao a fortress few dare to underestimate.
• Arsenal, however, have built their own reputation against Spanish opposition—winning five straight UEFA fixtures and going unbeaten on Matchday 1 across the last eight campaigns.

Prediction
Athletic’s passion and San Mamés’ cauldron-like atmosphere will test Arsenal’s mettle. But with Arteta’s tactical nous and his side’s attacking verve, the Gunners are tipped to edge the Basque challenge. Expect drama, but the prediction is a 3-1 Arsenal win in what could be one of the group stage’s most enthralling openers.