Athletic Club vs Arsenal: Predictions Preview, Lineups, H2h for September 16, 2025

One of the first matches of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League group stage will be on Tuesday at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao. Athletic will face Arsenal from London. Betting on goals in this match looks promising.

Match preview

Athletic is back in Europe’s top club tournament after ten years and aims to make a strong start. Last season, they finished fourth in La Liga and reached the semifinals of the Europa League. At home, Athletic is very strong, winning 6 out of their last 7 European matches at San Mamés.

While they will miss Nico Williams and Benat Prados, Athletic has plenty of attack options. They have scored in 26 of their last 28 home games in Europe, and most matches involve a lot of goals—six of their last eight Europa League games had at least three goals.

Arsenal enters the Champions League group stage for the third season in a row, full of ambitions. Under Mikel Arteta, they have reached the semifinals and have defeated teams like PSV and Real Madrid in the past. Arsenal’s attack is fluid and effective, with 9 of their last 10 Champions League matches seeing at least three goals.

Even though they are missing key players like Saka, Havertz, and Jesus, Arsenal’s squad still has strength. Viktor Gyökeres, Eze, and Madueke can trouble any defense. In their last 5 away Champions League matches, Arsenal consistently scored and conceded goals.

Probable lineups

• Athletic: Simon, Berchiche, Vivian, Areso, Paredes, Gomez, Jaureguizar, Sancet, Guruzeta, Berenguer, I. Williams
• Arsenal: Raya, Magalhães, Timber, Mosquera, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Merino, Eze, Madueke, Gyökeres

Match facts and head-to-head

• In 6 of Athletic’s last 8 European matches, the total exceeded 2.5 goals.
• Arsenal has scored at least two goals in 8 of their last 10 Champions League matches.
• The teams have never met in European competition before.

Prediction

Both teams prefer to play attacking football and enjoy scoring, especially in continental matches. Despite missing some important players, their attacking capabilities are still high. Expect an open match with goals from both sides.