Ally McCoist's Gabriel Martinelli demand came true as Arsenal beat Athletic Bilbao
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Charlie Grace
Tue 16 September 2025 20:10, UK
Gabriel Martinelli was the hero as Arsenal found a way to beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 late on in their first Champions League game of the season.
Martinelli made Arsenal history with his goal against Bilbao, scoring just 36 seconds after coming on for Eberechi Eze, who had a quiet game.
Arsenal will now face Man City on Sunday, and travel back to London knowing they’ve secured all three points and have an elongated recovery period compared to their title-chasing rivals.
Arsenal’s win over Nottingham Forest at the weekend gave Mikel Arteta renewed confidence heading into their opening fixture of their Champions League campaign, and they scraped through the fixture with a 2-0 win.
Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media
Martinelli had an instant impact, scoring after less than a minute on the pitch, and the Brazilian played a key role in Leandro Trossard’s goal as well.
Before Martinelli was brought on, Ally McCoist suggested that Arteta should turn to the 24-year-old in place of Eze.
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Speaking on TNT Sports, McCoist gave his analysis, saying: “I would be thinking about bringing in Martinelli, I really would.”
“I look at the position Calafiori takes up when Arsenal are in possession, wide on that left side, and that is the position that Eze should be picking up.”
Ahead of Arsenal’s fixture against Man City on Sunday, Arteta looks set to have several selection headaches.
Noni Madueke has been in tremendous form and impressed again against Bilbao, but Bukayo Saka is due to return to full fitness for the Man City match.
Noni Madueke vs Athletic Club Shots3Touches in opposition box11Successful dribbles3Noni Madueke v Bilbao (Fotmob)
Meanwhile, on the left-hand side, Martinelli has played his way into the conversation for a start after his cameo at the San Mames, while summer signing Eze was underwhelming.
They will be good problems for Arteta to have, no doubt, but the Spaniard will have to disappoint a couple of his star attackers when he names his starting lineup on Sunday.