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Mikel Arteta believes that the "finishers" in his squad could be even more vital than starters in the current campaign—a philosophy he admits borrowing from the sport of rugby.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard each scored—and set up each other—after entering as second-half substitutes to seal a two-goal win for the London club against Athletic Club in their opening Champions League match.

Recent Struggles and Managerial Trust

Martinelli has endured a difficult spell lately, struggling for consistency and dropped to substitute duty, with recent acquisition the English winger chosen on the left flank.

Trossard, on the other hand, has made only a handful of cameos so far after featuring regularly during the previous term.

Arteta stressed that being a substitute does not diminish a player's importance, drawing parallels with the rugby concept of "finishers".

"These players are at least equally important, if not more so," he stated. "The finishers will prove decisive this season on occasion than those who begin the game."

Team Rotation and Injury Absences

Arsenal find themselves without key players such as Martin Odegaard, the England international, and Kai Havertz due to fitness issues, while William Saliba was only fit enough for the bench.

This has forced the manager to turn to new signings sooner than expected, with several of them named in the lineup against the Bilbao-based outfit.

He confessed that leaving players out is emotionally challenging, but applauded the contributions of both Martinelli and Trossard after initially benching them.

"Extremely satisfied since it is hard on a personal level to leave players out," he expressed. "Every time you announce the starting eleven, you are disappointing a number of players."

Squad Unity and Confidence Boost

The Brazilian, who has been a key figure under Arteta, experienced a loss of sharpness that sparked fan debate about his place in the side.

He was aware of the criticism and it affected his self-belief, despite netting double figures across all competitions—featuring a standout goal in the Champions League last eight encounter against Real Madrid.

Arteta has always shown faith Martinelli in big games and felt thrilled to see the attacker play a decisive role in this victory.

"He fully deserves it," remarked. "I adore Gabi. The way he applies himself, his commitment, his positivity—everything he offers for the team."

Teammates ran to congratulate Martinelli after he scored, with Riccardo Calafiori gesturing toward the player's name in before the away fans.

"That's the spirit," added. "It's reasons like this I truly enjoy being around them every day. The way they support each other is genuine."

"They really want the best for their peers and they appreciate someone who puts in the effort every single day like Gabi does."

"I was certain that he was going to react in this manner. When you test Gabi, he rises to the occasion. Such instances that will hopefully boost his confidence—as he is an exceptional player."