The Gunners’ boss heaps praise on his game-changing substitutes after a moment of intuition on the sidelines leads to a decisive Champions League win over a stubborn Athletic Bilbao.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed it was a simple glance at Gabriel Martinelli that told him everything he needed to know, moments before the Brazilian winger came off the bench to ignite his team’s Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club.
With the game locked in a tense stalemate, Arteta turned to his bench and introduced Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. The decision was an instant masterstroke. Just 36 seconds after stepping onto the pitch, Martinelli raced onto a perfect through ball from Trossard to break the deadlock in the 71st minute. He then turned provider, setting up Trossard for a late clincher to seal the three points.
But according to Arteta, the impact was written on Martinelli’s face long before the ball hit the net. Speaking after the match, the Arsenal boss shared the moment of intuition that convinced him to make the call.
“I looked on the bench, I looked at him, and in his eyes I could see that he was ready,” Arteta said, beaming with pride. “Leo [Trossard] as well. They play with that confidence and that connection between them… it’s really good.”
The manager was effusive in his praise for Martinelli, who has recently had to adapt to a role as an impact substitute following the arrival of new signings. Arteta expressed nothing but admiration for the player’s mentality.
“I adore Gabriel,” Arteta stated. “His attitude, his commitment, his positivity, what he’s willing to do for the team… As a family, we certainly value all the qualities that he has. I was sure that Gabby was going to react like that. You raise the level to Gabby and he was going to do that. He has such a mentality.”
The victory served as a powerful validation of Arsenal’s massive £250 million summer investment, which was aimed squarely at building a squad deep enough to compete on all fronts. Arteta was quick to highlight that every player, from the starters to those who only feature for a few minutes, shares the same vital importance.
“They (substitutes) are at least equally important or more important,” he explained. “Especially with the intensity that we play when the team starts to drop off… Piero (Hincapie) comes in and plays six minutes, the best six minutes he’s played. Christian (Norgaard) is the same, and that’s the attitude that we need from all of us.”
For one night in Bilbao, that collective attitude—and a telling look from a hungry substitute—made all the difference.
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