Arteta makes Champions League vow before Athletic Club match

Arsenal will begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday night when they face Athletic Bilbao at San Mames, with Mikel Arteta urging his players to build on last season’s progress in Europe.

The Gunners reached the semi-finals last term, only to fall narrowly to Paris Saint-Germain, and the manager believes the experience has given his squad greater belief.

“We’re good enough and we can compete against any opposition,” he said, while stressing that small margins such as fitness and decisive moments often prove decisive in Europe’s elite competition.

Arsenal enter the contest with ambitions of going one step further after investing heavily in the summer. New arrivals Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi have already settled quickly, with the Swede scoring three times in his first four games.

Arteta confirmed, however, that Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Ben White and Martin Odegaard remain sidelined, while Bukayo Saka is still some way off returning from injury.

Despite the absentees, Arsenal looked sharp at the weekend with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Arteta now wants that momentum carried into Europe.

“We’re excited to start again from scratch in a beautiful place, in a stadium that is going to generate something special,” he said.

The trip to Bilbao has extra significance for the Spaniard, who grew up in nearby San Sebastian and began his playing career at Real Sociedad. “You just sense the passion, the rivalry, the football atmosphere,” he reflected, describing the tie as a personal homecoming.

Rotation will be required during a demanding campaign, but Arteta insisted he has options. Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino and others could fill central attacking roles if needed, though he praised Gyokeres for his early impact.

Athletic return to the Champions League for just the third time since the rebrand in 1992 after finishing fourth in La Liga last season. Ernesto Valverde’s side began this term strongly but slipped to a surprise home defeat against Alaves at the weekend.

While Arsenal have beaten Spanish opposition in each of their last five Champions League games, Arteta was cautious about talk of a record sixth. Instead, he emphasized the long road ahead.

“The aim is clear, but the margins are super small and you have to be at your very best from day one,” he said.

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