When Athletic Club walked out at San Mamés for their first Champions League match in over a decade, they faced an Arsenal side that had already beaten them once in pre-season. The difference this time: a competitive edge and two clinical finishes — here’s everything you need to know about the trip, from how to watch to the key moments.

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Match: Athletic Club 0-2 Arsenal ·
Date: 16 September 2025 ·
Venue: Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao ·
Arsenal goals: Martinelli, Trossard ·
Broadcaster (UK): TNT Sports

Quick snapshot

1Match Details
2How to Watch
  • UK & Ireland: TNT Sports (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
  • USA: Paramount+ (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
  • India: Sony (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
  • Australia: Stan Sport (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
3Key Moments
  • 36 seconds: Martinelli scores after coming on as sub (CBS Sports Golazo)
  • 84 min: Trossard seals the win (CBS Sports Golazo)
  • Referee: Donatas Rumšas, VAR Pol van Boekel (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
4Team Context
  • Athletic Club returned to UCL after 11 years (CBS Sports Golazo)
  • Nico Williams absent for Athletic Club (CBS Sports Golazo)

Six rows from the match report tell the story: a scoreline, a shooting spree, and a milestone return.

Detail Value Source
Date 16 September 2025 ESPN (sports broadcaster)
Kickoff (BST) 5:45 p.m. ESPN (sports broadcaster)
Venue Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao ESPN (sports broadcaster)
Result Athletic Club 0-2 Arsenal CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)
Arsenal goalscorers Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)
Martinelli goal time 36 seconds after coming on CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)
Trossard goal time 84th minute CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)
Referee Donatas Rumšas ESPN (sports broadcaster)
VAR Pol van Boekel ESPN (sports broadcaster)
UCL round League phase matchday 1 UEFA
Athletic Club UCL return First appearance in 11 years CBS Sports Golazo (return context)

How can I watch Arsenal games today?

Whether you’re in London, Bilbao, or New Delhi, catching Arsenal’s Champions League match against Athletic Club is straightforward once you know the right platform. For this specific fixture, the broadcasters varied by region, but the pattern is consistent for most Arsenal UCL matches this season.

What channel is Arsenal game on?

  • United Kingdom & Ireland: TNT Sports – the official UEFA rights holder for the UK (ESPN (sports broadcaster)).
  • United States: Paramount+ – the primary English-language streaming service for UEFA competitions (ESPN (sports broadcaster)). Spanish-language options include TUDN USA, UniMás, and ViX (Live Soccer TV (aggregator)).
  • India: Sony Sports Network (ESPN (sports broadcaster)).
  • Australia: Stan Sport (ESPN (sports broadcaster)).
The upshot

For future Arsenal matches, check your local UEFA rights holder first. The same broadcasters (TNT, Paramount+, Sony, Stan) typically cover all Arsenal UCL league phase games. If you’re travelling, a VPN set to your home market should keep you connected.

Where can I watch Arsenal Champions League?

Arsenal’s Champions League matches are available through official UEFA broadcast partners in each territory. For the Athletic Club fixture, the options above cover the key markets. Additionally, some matches are streamed on the official UEFA website (competition page) and the Arsenal app for subscribers.

What this means: If you’re outside those regions, a legitimate live stream may be harder to find. Your best bet is to search for “UEFA Champions League broadcasters [your country]” before matchday.

Bottom line: Arsenal fans can watch almost every UCL game via TNT Sports (UK), Paramount+ (US), Sony (India), or Stan Sport (Australia). For Athletic Club vs Arsenal, those four platforms were the official outlets — no dodgy links needed.

This means Arsenal fans have multiple reliable options to watch their team in the Champions League.

Is Arsenal a top club in the world?

The question is subjective, but the numbers and history make a strong case. Arsenal’s 2005-06 Champions League final appearance and 13 English top-flight titles place them among Europe’s elite. Their 2025 squad, featuring Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and new signing Viktor Gyökeres, has depth to challenge on multiple fronts.

Key players in the Athletic Club match

  • Gabriel Martinelli: came off the bench and scored within 36 seconds, assisted by Leandro Trossard (CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)).
  • Leandro Trossard: sealed the win in the 84th minute (CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)).
  • Nico Williams (Athletic Club): absent for the home side (CBS Sports Golazo (return context)).

For more on Arsenal’s long-term European prospects, our Champions League Final 2026 guide looks at the bigger picture.

The pattern: Arsenal’s win in Bilbao — their first competitive meeting with Athletic Club — shows a squad that can adapt to a hostile environment and finish chances clinically. That’s the hallmark of a side that belongs in the conversation.

How to watch Arsenal vs Atletico?

This question often pops up because of the similar-sounding opponent. Atletico Madrid is a different club entirely — they play in the Spanish capital, not Bilbao, and wear red-and-white stripes. If you’re looking for Arsenal vs Atletico, the broadcast channels will be the same as for any Arsenal Champions League match (TNT Sports, Paramount+, etc.), but the match date and venue will be different.

For Athletic Club vs Arsenal, the details above apply. To avoid confusion, always check the full opponent name and the competition logo before searching for a stream.

The catch: Confusing Athletic Club with Atlético Madrid could lead to watching the wrong match.

Where can I watch Arsenal Champions League?

We covered the main broadcasters already. But for completeness, here’s a quick-reference table for the Athletic Club fixture and similar UCL matches:

Territory Broadcaster / Platform Notes
UK & Ireland TNT Sports (TV), discovery+ (stream) Live kickoff 5:45 p.m. BST (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
USA Paramount+, TUDN, UniMás 1:45 p.m. ET (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
India Sony Sports Network Kickoff 00:30 a.m. IST (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
Australia Stan Sport 5:00 a.m. AEST (ESPN (sports broadcaster))

The trade-off: TNT Sports offers the most complete UK coverage, but you need a subscription. Paramount+ in the US is cheaper and includes all UCL matches. For Australian viewers, Stan Sport requires an add-on. The best value depends on how many matches you plan to watch.

Timeline signal

  • 16 September 2025: Athletic Club vs Arsenal, UEFA Champions League league phase. Final score 0-2 (CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)).
  • Future: Potential return fixture at Emirates Stadium if both teams advance from the group phase.

The pattern: The two matches show the contrast between pre-season and competitive intensity.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Match date: 16 September 2025, kickoff 5:45 p.m. BST (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
  • Venue: Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
  • Result: Athletic Club 0-2 Arsenal (CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights))
  • Goalscorers: Gabriel Martinelli (36 sec after coming on), Leandro Trossard (84′) (CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights))
  • Referee: Donatas Rumšas, VAR Pol van Boekel (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
  • Athletic Club were without Nico Williams (CBS Sports Golazo (return context))
  • Broadcasters per region (see table above) (ESPN (sports broadcaster))

What’s unclear

  • Injury details for both teams at the time of the match (officially unreported until closer to kickoff)
  • Exact broadcast lineup for pre-season friendlies (only Arsenal.com live stream likely)
  • Historical head-to-head record – only the July 2025 friendly (result unconfirmed) and this UCL fixture are known
  • Arsenal’s last UCL quarter-final in 2023/24 (no independent source confirmed)
  • Athletic Club’s return to UCL after 11 years is confirmed but exact timing of qualification not detailed

The implication: While the match result and key moments are clear, some details remain unofficial.

“Finishing pre-season on a high 💪 Watch all the goals and highlights from our win against Athletic Club.”

— Arsenal social media team, Facebook caption (pre-season friendly context)

“Athletic Club vs Arsenal: all the latest UEFA Champions League League phase match information.”

— UEFA.com, match summary page

For Arsenal, the 2-0 win in Bilbao was a statement: they can beat a disciplined Basque side on its own turf without a full-strength lineup. For Athletic Club, the takeaway is harsher — they’re back in Europe’s top competition, but without Nico Williams and a clinical edge, the gap to the Premier League elite showed. The implication for fans: expect Arsenal to push deep into the knockout stages, while Athletic Club will need to sharpen their attack to avoid an early exit.

Related reading: Liverpool vs Nottm Forest – Match Preview, Predictions, Lineups

Additional sources

paramountplus.com, football360.com.au

Fans looking for a detailed match report can check out Athletic Club vs Arsenal match report for a full breakdown of the goals and substitutions.

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Frequently asked questions

What time does Arsenal vs Athletic Club kick off?

The Athletic Club vs Arsenal Champions League match kicked off at 5:45 p.m. BST on 16 September 2025 (ESPN (sports broadcaster)).

Is the Arsenal vs Athletic Club match on TV?

Yes. In the UK, it was on TNT Sports. In the US, Paramount+ carried it. Check the full broadcast table above for other regions (ESPN (sports broadcaster)).

Where is Arsenal vs Athletic Club being played?

The match was held at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, the home of Athletic Club (ESPN (sports broadcaster)).

Can I buy tickets for Athletic Club vs Arsenal?

Tickets were sold through Athletic Club’s official channels before the match. For future Arsenal away games, check the Arsenal ticketing page or UEFA’s resale portal.

Who scored in the Arsenal vs Athletic Club match?

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scored for Arsenal. Martinelli found the net 36 seconds after coming on as a substitute; Trossard added the second in the 84th minute (CBS Sports Golazo (match highlights)).

What is the history between Arsenal and Athletic Club?

Their only previous known meeting was a July 2025 pre-season friendly (result reported as 3-0 Arsenal, but not independently verified). The 16 September 2025 Champions League match was their first competitive fixture (UEFA).

Are there any injury concerns for Arsenal vs Athletic Club?

No official injury report was published before the match. Athletic Club were reportedly without Nico Williams (CBS Sports Golazo (return context)). Arsenal fielded a strong XI, and no notable absences were confirmed.

What are the odds for Arsenal vs Athletic Club?

Odds were not part of this match report. For betting odds, consult licensed sportsbooks closer to matchday.