Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised the impact of his substitutes after Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard came off the bench to seal a 2-0 Champions League victory over Athletic Club in Bilbao on Tuesday night.
Martinelli made an instant impact, scoring just 36 seconds after replacing Eberechi Eze in the 71st minute, with the assist provided by Trossard, who had entered the game six minutes earlier for Viktor Gyökeres. The pair combined again in the 87th minute, this time with Martinelli setting up Trossard for Arsenal’s second goal.
Arteta said the performance highlighted the depth of his squad and the importance of substitutes in decisive moments.
“Sometimes the finishers can be more important than the starters this season,” Arteta told reporters. “They made the impact to win the game. They are at least equally important, maybe even more important in those stages of matches.”
The Spaniard admitted it is emotionally difficult to leave players out, but insisted his selections are always made with one priority: winning.
Arteta singled out Martinelli’s mindset, saying he could sense the Brazilian’s readiness before introducing him.
“I adore Gabby — his attitude, commitment, positivity, and what he gives the team,” Arteta said. “When I looked at him on the bench, I could see in his eyes he was ready. Leo [Trossard] too. Their connection is very strong and it’s going to help us a lot this season.”
The Arsenal boss also confirmed that Gyökeres and Gabriel Magalhães, who clashed heads in the first half, suffered no serious issues.
With the win, Arsenal continued their strong start in Europe, underlining both their attacking options and squad resilience.
