Arsenal and Athletic Bilbao will face off today at 12:45 p.m. EDT at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.
Arsenal is favored at a -110 price, with the over/under set at 2.5 (-110o / -130u) goals.
Let's get into my Arsenal vs. Athletic prediction.
Arsenal vs. Athletic Prediction
Pick: Arsenal To Win
My Arsenal vs. Athletic best bet is on Arsenal to win this match.
Arsenal vs. Athletic Odds
| Arsenal Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-0.5 -115 | 2.5 -110o / -130u | -110 |
| Athletic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+0.5 -120 | 2.5 -110o / -130u | +290 |
Arsenal vs. Athletic Picks, Parlay
Leg 1: Arsenal To Win
Leg 2: Both Teams To Score – No
Arsenal is among the favorites to win the Champions League. Manager Mikel Arteta has bolstered his squad in the summer, and they look well-equipped to challenge on all fronts. Therefore, we are backing them to win as part of our Athletic Club vs Arsenal predictions.
The Gunners’ away form has been largely excellent. They have suffered just three defeats in their last 20 matches on the road. Those losses came against Newcastle, PSG and Liverpool, teams that are stronger than Athletic Club in terms of personnel.
Arsenal beat Athletic 3-0 when the teams met in the preseason Emirates Cup in August. The Gunners were credited with creating four big chances, whereas Bilbao had just two shots in total.
Caution might prevail in the opening game of the Champions League. Arsenal’s strong defensive record is, of course, the main reason to support the bet of one or both teams not scoring in this match.
The Gunners conceded fewer than a goal per game in their last 20 away games. Combined with Athletic’s lack of firepower, it might be a formula for success.
Lastly, the biggest issue for the Spanish team is the injury to Nico Williams. The club’s star forward will miss this match due to a groin injury.
With Williams out of the picture, Bilbao’s chances of scoring drop significantly.
Arsenal vs. Athletic Projections
Projected Chance of Winning
| Arsenal | Draw | Athletic |
|---|---|---|
| 51.2% | 26.6% | 22.2% |
Projected Total Goals
| Arsenal | Total Goals | Athletic |
|---|---|---|
| 1.28 | 2.01 | 0.73 |
Arsenal vs. Athletic Betting Analysis
Although Arsenal are expected to go deep into the competition, they also have some tough fixtures to navigate. They will play the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan in the league phase, so a fast start is important.
They faced Athletic in the preseason Emirates Cup. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres all scored as Arteta’s side ran out 3-0 victors. However, there have been no competitive matches between these sides.
The Gunners have had plenty of success against Spanish clubs in the Champions League of late. Last season, they secured a 5-1 aggregate win over Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. They also managed to beat Girona on their way to the semi-finals of this competition last season.
Arteta is yet to taste a Champions League defeat against Spanish opposition as Arsenal boss. The visitors have also beaten Girona and Sevilla during his tenure.
Athletic Bilbao has faced English opposition on just two occasions since the start of 2020. They lost both legs of their Europa League semi-final against Manchester United last season, succumbing to a 7-1 aggregate defeat.
Arsenal vs. Athletic Projected Starting Lineups
Arsenal
Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres.
Athletic
Simon; Areso, Paredes, Vivian, Berchiche; de Galarreta, Jauregizar, Sancet; Williams, Berengeuer, Sannadi.
