Arsenal 2-0 Athletic Club Player Ratings: Declan Rice Rated 8.5/10 as London Giants Seal Dominant Away Win in Bilbao

Arsenal put up a dominant performance to overcome Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League opener away from home. Here are Sportsdunia's Athletic Club vs Arsenal Player Ratings

Arsenal Player Ratings vs Athletic Club

Goalkeeper

David Raya - 7.5: Had a relatively quiet first half but was called into action when needed. He made a spectacular save in the second half, tipping a header over the bar. From our perspective, his command of the area was excellent. His distribution was quick and effective, helping launch counter-attacks. A well-earned clean sheet.

Defenders

Cristhian Mosquera - 6.5: A surprising name on the Arsenal team sheet, but he put in a decent shift. He was tidy in possession with a 94% pass accuracy. What stood out to us was his strength in the air, winning most of his aerial battles. He did get caught out once or twice but recovered well enough.

Gabriel Magalhães - 7.0: The captain led by example. He was a colossus at the back making ten clearances throughout the match. There was one scary moment where an error led to a shot, but otherwise, he was faultless. He organized the backline brilliantly, ensuring they were rarely breached. A very solid performance.

Jurriën Timber - 7.5: A constant threat down the flank. He was tireless, contributing both in defense with five tackles and in attack. He even created a big chance for his teammates. We noticed he lost the ball a few times but his positive, forward-thinking play was a huge asset for the team.

Riccardo Calafiori - 8.0: An outstanding performance from the defender. He was imperious winning 8 out of 10 duels and boasting a 100% tackle success rate. He was a rock on his side of the pitch. He also ventured forward when opportunities arose. We were thoroughly impressed by his composure and defensive intelligence.

Midfielders

Mikel Merino - 6.5: A mixed performance from Merino in the middle of the park. He showed flashes of his quality, but drifted in and out of the game. He battled hard, but his influence wasn't as pronounced as we've come to expect. A steady, if unspectacular, outing.

Martín Zubimendi - 6.0: Kept the ball moving with his high pass accuracy. He played the simple passes well to maintain possession. However, he offered little in terms of defensive security and was booked late on. We felt he needed to be more assertive against a physical midfield.

Declan Rice - 8.5: Our man of the match. He was absolutely everywhere. He broke up play, drove forward with the ball, and displayed an incredible passing range. His three key passes and one big chance created show his offensive impact. The early yellow card was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect performance. He was the engine of this Arsenal team.

Forwards

Eberechi Eze - 7.0: Looked very lively and was a constant source of creativity before he was substituted. His dribbling caused problems for the Athletic Club defence. He worked hard off the ball too, which was great to see. A good showing that promised more.

Viktor Gyökeres - 5.5: A deeply frustrating evening for the striker. He got into good positions but his finishing let him down, missing two big chances. From our perspective, he looked a little off the pace. It just wasn't his night in front of goal.

Noni Madueke - 6.5: A classic Madueke performance. He was exciting with the ball at his feet, completing three dribbles and getting shots on target. However, losing possession 18 times is far too high. He needs to add more end product to his game, and the late yellow card was unnecessary.

Substitutes

Leandro Trossard - 8.0: Came off the bench and did exactly what was asked of him. He provided fresh energy and scored the second goal to kill the game. A perfect impact substitute. His clinical finish was a thing of beauty.

Gabriel Martinelli - 8.0: Another substitute who changed the game. His pace on the counter-attack was devastating, and he took his goal with supreme confidence. He made the crucial breakthrough when the team needed it most.

Manager

M. Arteta - 8.5: His game management was spot on. The decision to bring on Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard proved to be a masterstroke, as they both scored. The team looked well-drilled and executed the game plan perfectly in the second half. He completely out-maneuvered his opposite number.

Athletic Club Player Ratings vs Arsenal

Goalkeeper

Unai Simón - 6.5: He made four saves and without him, the scoreline could have been worse. He couldn't have done much for either of the goals he conceded. What let him down was his distribution. His passing accuracy was a poor 44%, often putting his team under pressure.

Defenders

Andoni Gorosabel - 5.0: A very tough evening for the right-back. He was dribbled past four times and struggled to contain the pace and trickery of Arsenal's attackers. He looked overwhelmed for large parts of the game. A night he will want to forget quickly.

Dani Vivian - 5.5: He was busy, making seven clearances, but he struggled in his individual duels. He looked uncomfortable against the movement of the Arsenal frontline. He and his partner were pulled apart for both goals. It was a difficult defensive display.

Aitor Paredes - 5.5: Similar to his central defensive partner, he couldn't impose himself on the game. Winning only one duel all match tells its own story. He was often reactive rather than proactive in his defending. A challenging experience against a top-quality attack.

Adama Boiro - 6.0: He showed some fight and made three successful tackles before being subbed off. He tried his best to provide some defensive solidity. However, he was part of a backline that was ultimately second-best on the night. A spirited effort in a losing cause.

Midfielders

Mikel Vesga - 5.5: The midfield battle was lost, and Vesga struggled to get a foothold. His pass completion was low and he couldn't protect his defence effectively. It was no surprise to see him substituted.

Álex Berenguer - 6.0: One of the few who tried to create something for his team. He delivered two key passes and worked hard. Despite his efforts, he couldn't unlock the stubborn Arsenal defence. He needed more support from his teammates.

Oihan Sancet - 6.0: He battled hard in midfield, winning a good number of duels. But like the rest of his team, his offensive impact was minimal. He was unable to influence the game in the final third before his substitution.

Mikel Jauregizar - 5.0: Looked completely overwhelmed by the quality of the opposition midfield. He fought hard but often came off second best in duels. He also picked up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge. It was a tough learning experience for him.

Robert Navarro - 4.5: Our worst performer of the match. He was anonymous for the 61 minutes he was on the pitch. He made no impact, lost the majority of his duels, and offered nothing going forward. A very disappointing performance.

Forwards

Iñaki Williams - 5.5: The captain cut a very isolated figure up front. He was starved of service and well-marshalled by Gabriel and his defensive partners. He managed one shot on target but it was a frustrating night for the forward.

Substitutes

Unai Gómez, Gorka Guruzeta, Yuri Berchiche, Nico Serrano, Alejandro Rego - 5.5: The substitutes were thrown on to try and change the game. Unfortunately for them, Arsenal were in complete control by that stage. They were unable to make any significant impact on the proceedings.

Manager

E. Valverde - 5.0: His team started solidly but had no answer when Arsenal raised their game in the second half. His substitutions failed to change the momentum. From our perspective, he was tactically outclassed by Arteta. He will need to go back to the drawing board.