**_BILBAO/LONDON_**; North London’s giants both won their opening ties in the new season’s Champions League group openers with Arsenal winning in Bilbao and Tottenham defeating Villarreal.
Arsenal began their campaign with a 2-0 win away to Athletic Bilbao, with Gabriel Martinelli making an immediate impact from the bench to open the scoring and another substitute, Leandro Trossard, netting the second.
Mikel Arteta’s side, beaten at the semi-final stage last season by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, were the better team but struggled to prove it until the substitutes arrived.
Martinelli replaced Eberechi Eze in the 71st minute, with Arsenal struggling to find a breakthrough despite creating plenty of chances, and the substitute netted an impressive solo goal after less than a minute on the pitch.
The Brazilian forward was sent racing through on goal after a flicked pass from Trossard, and the two combined again three minutes from time, with Martinelli’s pullback from the byline finished off by Trossard.
Tottenham celebrated their return to the Champions League by grinding out a 1-0 home victory over Spanish club Villarreal courtesy of an early own goal by visiting keeper Luiz Junior.
Sprs’first game in the competition since March 2023 was only four minutes old when Villarreal’s Brazilian keeper fumbled a cross by Lucas Bergvall across his own line.
It was never comfortable for the hosts, however, with former Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe having several chances including a late free kick that flashed just wide of the post.
But Tottenham’s defence, which has conceded only one goal this season in four Premier League games, was rock solid again as Thomas Frank’s side began their group campaign with an important three points.
Frank had spoken of his excitement at finally dipping his toe in Europe’s elite club competition after a coaching career that began in 2008 with Denmark’s Under-16s.
The 51-year-old former Brentford manager’s only previous experience of European club football was a couple of failed attempts to reach the Europa League group phase with Brondby.
Tottenham’s unlikely Europa League triumph last season and the sacking of Ange Postecoglou gave Frank the chance to test his tactical prowess against Europe’s finest coaches.
But he could have hardly expected his debut in the competition to be decided by a goal that owed more to a Sunday morning game.
Advancing down the right, Bergvall’s low cross was trying to locate Richarlison but Junior appeared to have gathered it, only for the ball to deflect off his palms and inside his left-hand post.
Tottenham struggled to capitalise on their early gift, though, never threatening a second goal, and there was a degree of relief around the stadium at the final whistle.
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