Arsenal eye Champions League charge with revamped attack

LONDON – Arsenal start their bid for Champions League glory against Athletic Bilbao on Sept 16, powered by a new-look attack revitalised by the Gunners’ summer spending spree.

Mikel Arteta’s side reached the semi-finals of Europe’s top competition last season for the first time since 2009, before losing to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.

Arsenal also fell short in the English Premier League, where they ended as runners-up for a third consecutive season, partly due to a misfiring forward line.

Arteta set about remedying that issue over the close-season, with Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze adding extra firepower and depth to the Arsenal attack.

With Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all sidelined by injury in the opening weeks of the new campaign, that expensive overhaul has already proved a wise investment.

Arteta’s new trio all impressed in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sept 13.

England winger Madueke has been in superb form in Saka’s absence, while Sweden striker Gyokeres netted against Forest to make it three goals in his first four appearances.

Eze made his full debut against Forest on the left wing and provided the assist for Gyokeres, while Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi struck twice for his first Arsenal goals since arriving from Real Sociedad.

Arsenal have won three of their opening four Premier League games of the campaign and fell to a 1-0 defeat at title rivals Liverpool only due to Dominik Szoboszlai’s brilliant late free kick.

The pressure, though, is on Arteta to deliver the club’s first trophy since the FA Cup in 2020 after years of heavy investment in the transfer market.

“It doesn’t matter what we want to do, it is what we have to do,” said the Basque coach, who returns to his home region this week.

Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde hailed his compatriot Arteta ahead of the game.

“He’s one of the best coaches in the world and he’s showing what he can do at Arsenal,” said Valverde. “He’s got great players, but you have to look at what they’re doing and how they play.

“They don’t let you play, they press in every duel, they insist, and it’s hard to press them. They’re a team with a stamp on them and that stamp is Arteta.”

Ahead of their Champions League opener in Bilbao, there was one dark cloud on Arteta’s otherwise ideal afternoon against Forest.

Captain Martin Odegaard limped off after 17 minutes with a shoulder injury.

Arteta did not rule the Norway midfielder out of the trip to Spain, saying: “We have to assess him with the doctors and see, but I’m sure he will try his best to be fit for Tuesday.”

But if Odegaard is sidelined, the onus will be on Eze and company to lead the attack against Bilbao as they look to make a strong start to their European challenge.

Arsenal have never won the Champions League and last lifted the Premier League in 2004.

Ending that barren run would be a dream come true for Eze, who was released by Arsenal as a 13-year-old.

The England international has enjoyed a meteoric rise since that rejection, earning his way back to Arsenal after starring in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup-winning run last season.

Now the 27-year-old is set to taste Champions League football for the first time in his career.

“It’s fun for me. This is why I play football. These are opportunities that you want. This is it for me, so I am enjoying it as much as I can,” Eze said.

“It is special and it’s not everyone that gets to experience these types of moments.”

Bilbao are back in Europe’s top competition for the first time since 2014, having qualified for only the third occasion in their history.

Said captain Inaki Williams: “So many of us are looking forward to debuting in the Champions League. For years we’ve fought for a day like tomorrow and we want to grow our dream.

“We are not afraid of anyone – it will be a really nice game.” AFP