Arsenal subs step up in 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao 

Arsenal’s big summer signing Viktor Gyökeres didn’t find the net on his Champions League debut, but the Gunners still left Bilbao with a strong 2-0 win — thanks to their bench.

Gabriel Martinelli needed less than a minute to make his mark after coming on, breaking the deadlock, and Leandro Trossard, who replaced Gyökeres, doubled the lead 15 minutes later.

It could have been Gyökeres’ night. The Swedish striker, who bagged six Champions League goals for Sporting Lisbon last season, wasted a golden chance just after halftime, heading wide from Declan Rice’s pinpoint free kick.

Still, Arsenal’s subs carried the day — and fittingly, Martinelli and Trossard ended up assisting each other’s goals.

Format enters Year Two

This is the second season of the new league-phase format: 36 clubs, each playing eight different opponents on a weighted schedule, with all results feeding into a single table that runs through January.

Real Madrid, winners a record 15 times, hosted Marseille later in the evening needing just one more win (and two goals) to reach the historic milestones of 200 victories and 700 goals in the competition.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Qarabag traveled to Benfica, Tottenham hosted Villarreal, and Juventus welcomed Borussia Dortmund.

The top eight finishers in the standings will advance straight to the round of 16, while the next 16 go into a playoff for the remaining spots.