Athletic Bilbao vs Arsenal - Champions League LIVE: Live score, team news and latest updates as Mikel Arteta makes one change to team that beat Nottingham Forest with two more stars ruled out through injury

I know, this surprised me too.

Arsenal and Athletic Bilbao met during pre-season, and it just felt like they had played each other lots before. Obviously not.

This will be the first competitive meeting between Athletic Club and Arsenal, and just the third time the Lions have faced an English opponent in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (eliminated by Manchester United in 1956-57 quarter-final and Liverpool in 1983-84 last 16).

I'm not sure why I thought they had played against each other in a big competition before, but oh well, they are tonight.

Who will win the first one that matters?

How did I let this one slip past me?

I have just realised that 15-year-old Max Dowman is on the bench for Arsenal tonight, and could make his Champions League debut.

I mean, that's just mental, isn't it?

When I was 15, I tried to sneak out at night to go down to the corner shop and meet my friends (don't tell my parents), meanwhile, Dowman is in Bilbao and could possibly play in club football's biggest tournament.

Crazy, just crazy. The boy is some player, and this proves just how talented he is.

Ally McCoist, former Rangers striker, speaking on TNT Sports:

Now, this is a question that my friends and I have been speaking about a lot recently.

Yes, I have friends...

Many of my mates believe that Mikel Arteta HAS to win a trophy this season, otherwise he is in trouble.

Now, I don't quite agree, but what I will say is that the pressure is certainly on Arteta to deliver, now more than ever.

It's been five years since Arsenal last won a major trophy, and while they have improved immeasurably under the Spaniard, trophies are teh currency of success in this sport.

How he would love to get his hands on the big one, eh?

Don't get me wrong, I think Arsenal are a top side, but I'm not always the biggest fan of covering them.

They just aren't the most entertaining.

One of the reasons for that is because of how solid they are at the back. Arsenal are almost impenetrable.

The Gunners have conceded just 18 goals in 24 Champions League matches under Mikel Arteta.

Among teams with 20 or more games under a manager, only four sides in the competition have a better goals conceded per game average (0.75): Fabio Capello’s Milan (0.38), Louis van Gaal’s Ajax (0.63), Frank Rijkaard’s Barcelona (0.68) and Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona (0.71).

As a neutral, I love goals, so that's probably why they aren't the most enjoyable team to watch for me. That being said, they have still been involved in some belting battles in recent years.

I hope tonight is another.

Theo Walcott, former Arsenal winger, on BBC Sport:

Eberechi Eze must be feeling a range of emotions right now...

Why?

Well, he is about to make his Champions League debut. He must feel both buzzing and be bricking it at the same time. I mean, that's how I would feel if I were him.

Then again, there is a reason I am sitting behind a keyboard and not strolling about the San Mames right now.

If Eze is nervous, he isn't exactly showing it.

Life at Arsenal has started well for Viktor Gyokeres.

Some fans and trolls may try to tell you otherwise, but ignore them; the stats don't lie. Three goals in four Premier League games isn't exactly bad, is it?

The good thing for the Gunners is that the best is yet to come.

Gyokeres was directly involved in seven goals in eight appearances in the UEFA Champions League last season (six goals, one assist for Sporting CP), averaging a goal or assist every 87 minutes played. He loves this competition.

Only one Arsenal player had a minutes per goal involvement ratio under 100 (Bukayo Saka, 95).

Can the Swede continue in the same vein for the Gunners?

Advantage, Arsenal.

There was a point during the summer that many thought Nico Williams may be playing in the red of Arsenal this season.

Well, he's not even fit enough to feature against them tonight, despite staying in Bilbao.

His brother Inaki captains the side, though.

What did I say? I told you Mikel Arteta would go strong.

Hwe makes just the one change from the team that swept aside Nottingham Forest, and it only makes them stronger.

Declan Rice returns to the midfield with Martin Odegaard absent through injury.

William Saliba has to settle for the bench.

This is the big question.

David Raya has said Arsenal have 'one hell of a team', and he is wrong... they have one hell of a squad.

Even with Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Jesus out, Mikel Arteta still has a very strong squad.

It will be interesting to see how strong the Spaniard goes tonight - will he just stick with the side that has been playing in the Premier League?

William Saliba is rumoured to be returning, so will he start?

These are all questions that will be answered very soon, but personally, I imagine Arteta will go for it.

I mean, why wouldn't he? It's the opening fixture. Go big or go home.

Oh, hello there!

Time really has crept up on me. I thought we were still way away from kick-off, but we clearly aren't.

Arsenal have arrived at the San Mames stadium, and they look like they mean business, don't they?

I believe team news will be upon us in the not too distant future.

You are going to see this question bouncing about a lot tonight.

We have already spoken about whether Arsenal are strong enough to win the Champions League this season. My answer was: yes, yes they are.

Whether they will is an entirely different story.

Anyway, the TNT Sports panel has given their thoughts on the question, and they are well worth listening to.

It would be good to hear what all of you think, too!

David Raya, Arsenal goalkeeper, speaking to the club website:

Right then, let's get this over with.

I'm going to be blunt; you should know this by now. It's the second year of this new format, so we have to get with the programme. The new norm, as they say.

Anyway, I will give you a brief reminder of what to expect.

There are 36 teams in this league phase, with the top eight teams automatically advancing to the knockout stages, the bottom eight teams being eliminated, and the remaining 24 teams competing in the play-offs.

Have you got all that then?

I mean, as I said, this is the second season of this new Champions League format, so I imagine you're all dandy.

Not to sound moody, but I will not be going through it for you again.

I just want to take a minute to really appreciate the beauty of Estadio de San Mames.

I mean, wow, just wow.

It's pretty easy to see why UEFA thought this was a good ground to host the Europa League final in last season, isn't it? It's spectacular.

Just look at that roof, that's the most aesthetically pleasing part of it for me. I can't take my eyes off it.

This is the third game I have covered in this specimen of an arena, and it never ceases to amaze me with its beauty. I may sound like I am going over the top, but this is just one of my favourite grounds.

It's one hell of a place to play footie.

Oh dear...

17 minutes into the new Champions League season, and I am already making mistakes. Some things never change, eh?

The post before last was meant to open up the whole blog, but I accidentally scheduled it for the wrong time. Oh well, silly me.

Normal service resumes from here.

Ernesto Valverde, Athletic Bilbao boss, speaking on Monday:

'The championsssss!'

Can you hear it, that music? As I type this, I have started playing the Champions League anthem on Spotify over my headphones. Call me weird, but I'm just incredibly excited for tonight.

Football's best and most enthralling competition is back, and it's better than ever. I have a feeling that the second year of the new format will be even better than the first, and it's not like last year was boring.

PSG are the reigning champions, and there are 35 teams gunning to take the crown off their head.

One of those is Arsenal, who were beaten by the eventual in the semi-finals. It was agonising. The trophy that the Gunners crave the most evaded them, just when they started to believe it was their year.

But a new season brings renewed hope. Bar a defeat at Liverpool, Arsenal have started the season well with a revamped squad which is ready to challenge for good ol' Big Ears again.

They start their bid for glory in the Basque Country as they take on Athletic Bilbao at the San Mames Stadium. Not the easiest first match, it's fair to say.

The Champions League always delivers drama, and I'm certain that the thrills and spills of what is the best tournament this sport has to offer will continue to get us out of our seats.

So, get ready for a rollercoaster of a night and a season.

If there are any Athletic Bilbao fans reading this (which would stun me), then how are we feeling?

I imagine the overriding emotion is excitement, no?

This is teh first time that the Basque Country side are taking part in European football's premier competition since the 2014-15 campaign.

At first, I didn't think that was that long ago, but then I realised there have been 11 seasons since then. Yes, I know. What a way to realise you are now old, eh?

That season, they failed to make it out of the group stage, so they will be hoping they do a little better this time around.

I'm sure Bilbao hoped for an easier start, mind...

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal boss, speaking on Monday:

Will this be Arsenal's year?

The Gunners are one of English football's greatest clubs, they have won bucketloads of silverware in their glorious history. But there is one trophy that has always evaded them.

Yep, the beautiful big-eared chunk of metal - the Champions League.

They came close in '06, but fell at the final hurdle, and ever since, it has felt like they're falling further and further away from accomplishing their dream.

Well, that was until last year. Their Premier League campaign may have been somewhat disappointing last season, but in Europe, Mikel Arteta's side was a different beast.

When they swept aside European champions Real Madrid in the quarter-final, it felt like their Champions League pain may soon be over. But then they met PSG.

Their exit would have hurt a lot, but luckily for them, they get another crack this season.

Arteta has chucked a lot of money into building a deeper and better squad this season, and you feel it's one that can compete on all fronts this term.

They can certainly go far in this competition!

Right, before we get tucked into the proper build-up, I reckon we should take a look at just how stacked full of footie the next few days are.

In this blog, we may just be covering Arsenal's trip to Bilbao, but it's just the first of many matches over the next few days.

Here is today's schedule: