Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka
Image credit: Getty Images
Bukayo Saka has backed his Arsenal teammates after their 2-0 victory over Athletic Club in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday night.
The Gunners held firm against a raucous crowd in Bilbao, often described as a “Cauldron of Noise,” and extended their tally to four clean sheets this season. The breakthrough came in the second half when substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard made the difference. Martinelli struck just seconds after his introduction, latching onto Trossard’s clever flick before finishing calmly, while the Belgian capped the win with a decisive strike in the 86th minute.
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The result means Mikel Arteta’s side have now recorded back-to-back wins without conceding, having also beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League at the weekend. Arsenal will now turn their attention to a crucial clash with Manchester City on Sunday.
Saka, who has been sidelined with a muscle problem, missed the trip to Spain and has now sat out three consecutive matches. Despite his absence, the 24-year-old showed his support on social media by liking celebratory posts from Martinelli and Trossard on Instagram.
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“Kicking off the new campaign with a win!! Thank you for the support,” Martinelli wrote after the match, while Trossard added: “Champions League nights are back.”
Speaking ahead of the fixture, Arteta admitted there was no clear timeline for Saka’s return but stressed the England international is eager to get back as soon as possible.
“No, I think there’s still quite a lot of things to go through,” the manager told reporters. “It’s very early to understand when, which week he’s going to be available, but he will certainly be pushing to be available as quick as possible.”
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