Mikel Arteta, the head coach of Arsenal, expressed his great happiness after his team's first win in the UEFA Champions League this season, following a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the match held at San Mamés Stadium during the first round of the league phase of the 2025/2026 edition of the tournament.

In Arteta's statements after the match, he said: "One of the things we always discuss is that attackers must have a real impact on the game, and today Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard did just that; they made the difference and were fantastic, as was the rest of the team, who delivered a remarkable performance at many moments."

He continued: "When a player can decide a match in favor of the team, that is exactly what we need, and I am very happy about that."

He also commented on the atmosphere of the match, saying: "I am extremely happy; playing in Spain is always special, the atmosphere here is among the best I have seen in my career. We knew the match would be difficult, and therefore we had to earn the victory, and I believe we gained more control as time went on."

Arteta concluded his statements with a message of thanks to the fans: "Overall, it was an excellent match; now I will go see my family, and I look forward to that. I hope our fans have a successful journey, as they were fantastic as always."