Martinelli enters UEFA Champions League top three for remarkable stat

Arsenal traveled to Athletic Bilbao for their opening UEFA Champions League match and secured a 2-0 victory. One of the Gunners’ players also etched his name into the record books.

Details: According to Cezary Kaczynski, Gabriel Martinelli scored the third fastest goal in UEFA Champions League history since the restart of play. From the moment Athletic Bilbao’s goalkeeper cleared the ball following a free-kick to the moment Martinelli found the net, only 14 seconds had passed. This placed him third on the all-time list.

In second place is Jonas, who took 11 seconds in 2011, while the record is held by Bayern Munich’s Roy Makaay, who scored just 10 seconds after the match restarted.

Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao managed to replicate a unique achievement of Spanish clubs in the UEFA Champions League dating back to 1955.

Reminder: The official Champions League website has published the full fixture list for the 2025/26 campaign. The eight matchdays are scheduled from September 16, 2025, to January 28, 2026. Our editorial team has prepared the complete tournament schedule for you.