Last season's beaten semifinalists bring the curtain up on the Champions League league phase on Tuesday afternoon as Arsenal face off against Athletic Club in Bilbao. A summer of ambitious spending on top of the squad he already has means Mikel Arteta returns to the Basque country in the knowledge that his side rank among the leading contenders to win the competition that is the biggest missing piece of the Arsenal trophy room.

They will also know, however, that their opening assignment is a tricky one. Athletic Club have won 14 of their last 18 home European games and made a deep run in last season's Europa League before being beaten by Manchester United in the semifinals. Ernesto Valverde's side finished fourth in LaLiga last season and started the new season in rich form before

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