Declan Rice delivers telling one-word verdict on Gabriel Martinelli after Bilbao heroics

Declan Rice delivers telling one-word verdict on Gabriel Martinelli after Bilbao heroics

Declan Rice perfectly captured Arsenal’s admiration for Gabriel Martinelli with a single word after the Brazilian’s game-changing display in the 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.

The England midfielder shared a photo of the squad celebrating with Martinelli on Instagram, captioning it simply: “family.”

Martinelli, 24, came off the bench to produce his most decisive performance of the season so far. With Arsenal struggling to unlock the Spanish side’s defence, Mikel Arteta introduced him in place of Eberechi Eze. Within a minute, he latched onto a long ball, burst clear, and slotted home the opener. Later, he weaved through defenders before setting up Leandro Trossard, whose deflected effort sealed victory.

Competition for places has been fierce since Eze and Noni Madueke arrived for a combined £118m, but Rice’s post underlined Martinelli’s importance to the squad. His message echoed the warm praise that followed in Arteta’s press conference.

The Arsenal boss said: “I adore Gabriel. His attitude, commitment, and positivity are incredible. He has the mentality to rise when challenged, and I was certain he’d make that impact. He’s outstanding, and the connection he has with his teammates is crucial for our future.”

Martinelli himself was delighted with his contribution: “I’m really happy with the win, the goal, and the assist. It’s tough to get a result in Bilbao, so credit to the team. I told the guys on the bench there was space in behind, and as soon as I came on, I tried to exploit it. For the second goal, I just wanted to beat my man and find someone in the box, and Leo finished it off.”

His instant impact not only swung the match but also reaffirmed his value in an increasingly competitive Arsenal attack.