(4-3-3) vs (4-3-2-1) Nico Williams vs Victor Gyokeres”, Predicted Arsenal line up vs Ath bibao – As Mikel Arteta prepare for His first champions League three points
(4-3-3) vs (4-3-2-1) Nico Williams vs Victor Gyokeres”, Predicted Arsenal line up vs Ath bibao – As Mikel Arteta prepare for His first champions League three points
Arsenal are looking to start their Champions League campaign in style when they make the trip to Spain to face La Liga side Athletic Bilbao in a league phase encounter on Tuesday, having overcome Nottingham Forest in a domestic clash at the Emirates Stadium last time out.
Martin Zubimendi grabbed the first two goals of his Gunners career against the Tricky Trees, following his £60million switch from Real Sociedad during the transfer window, while fellow close season recruit Viktor Gyokeres also found the back of the net as boss Mikel Arteta saw his side return to winning ways.
Athletic Bilbao, who tied talisman Nico Williams down to a 10-year contract which has a release clause worth more than £80million in the summer, are heading into the fixture after a narrow defeat to Alaves last weekend. GIVEMESPORT has taken a look at how they and visitors Arsenal are expected to line-up at the Estadio de San Mames.
Athletic Bilbao Team News
Williams will not be involved for Athletic Bilbao as he is still nursing an adductor injury he suffered earlier this month, which will come as a significant boost for Arsenal, while Benat Prados and Unai Egiluz are also on the treatment table with knee and anterior cruciate ligament problems respectively.
The Basque side are unable to call on 30-year-old defender Yeray Alvarez after it was confirmed by UEFA that he is serving a 10-month ban due to failing a doping test when he tested positive for canrenone following their home defeat to Manchester United in the Europa League semi-finals last term.
Although former Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte returned to Athletic Bilbao last week, with FIFA making a U-turn and approving his move from Al-Nassr, he is unavailable after not being included in head coach Ernesto Valverde’s squad for the league phase of the Champions League.
Valverde Drops Team News Update
Valverde, who has guided Athletic Bilbao back into the Champions League for the first time since the 2014/25 campaign, has conceded that he cannot put a timescale on when Euro 2024-winning Spain international Williams will return to contention as his side prepare to take on Arsenal at the Estadio de San Mames. He said:
“I’d like to have him in at least one of these seven-match stretches, but I don’t know. It will depend on how the injury progresses.”
Athletic Bilbao Predicted XI
XI
Unai Simon in action for Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao Predicted XI: Simon; Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Vesga, Jauregizar; Berenguer, Sancet, I. Williams; Guruzeta.
Athletic Bilbao Predicted Substitutes: Padilla (GK), Gorosabel (DEF), Boiro (DEF), De Luis (DEF), Izaguirre (DEF), Ruiz De Galarreta (MID), Gomez (MID), Navarro (MID), Rego (MID), Sannadi (FWD), Serrano (FWD).
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal Predicted XI
Martin Zubimendi vs Athletic Club
Arsenal Predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi, Merino; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze.
Arsenal Predicted Substitutes: Arrizabalaga (GK), Setford (GK), Mosquera (DEF), Hincapie (DEF), Lewis-Skelly (DEF), Norgaard (MID), Trossard (FWD), Martinelli (FWD), Dowman (FWD), Nwaneri (FWD).
