Does Gabriel Martinelli play today? Where to watch Club Brugge vs Arsenal in the Champions League

Gabriel Martinelli starts the game against Club Brugge this Wednesday, December 10, 2025, for Liga of UEFA’s Campeões, at The Brazilian, deployed on the left wing of the Arsenal, enters the field at 8pm local European time, with the mission of extending his scoring streak in the competition. In a crucial match for the group, where Arsenal leads with 15 points, Martinelli represents the offensive difference of Gunners against an Brugge in 27th place and in need of points.

His presence strengthens the London attack, especially after absences in defense, and can set the pace of the duel.

Referee Sven Jablonski commands the match, with the expectation of an open game given the teams’ recent form.

Numbers of Martinelli in the current season

Gabriel Esses records highlight his efficiency, with an average of 0.15 goals per game and direct participation in three goals.

In total for the season, he recorded 21 shots on goal, 11 of which were on target, and 380 touches of the ball, including 51 in the opponent’s box.

His dribbling success rate reaches 68%, reinforcing his role as an unbalancer on the flanks.

This data positions Martinelli as one of the main articulators of the attack, with an average rating of 6.88 per match.

The height of his career and iconic moments

Gabriel Martinelli’s finest hour came in the 2022-23 season, when he exploded with 15 goals and six assists in 35 games for Arsenal, helping the team win the Premier League title for the first time in 20 years.

At 21, he became a central player under Mikel Arteta, highlighted by his hat-trick against Manchester United in January 2023, which secured a historic turnaround and put him on the Brazilian national team’s radar.

This phase marked his consolidation as a star, with regular calls for the Copa of the 2022 Mundo and awards such as the best young person of the month in the Premier League.

Before that, his rise came in 2019-20, with a goalscoring debut against West Ham, but 2022-23 defined the “prime” for consistency and collective impact.

Expected impact on today’s game

Martinelli starts as a starter in Arsenal’s 4-3-3, flanking Viktor Gyökeres and exploiting the defensive fragility of Brugge, who conceded 13 goals in the group stage. Sua speed can stretch the field, creating spaces for Ødegaard in the middle.

Having scored goals in all four of Champions’s games this season, a goal today would make him the first Gunner to score in five in a row, surpassing records held by Thierry Henry and Ian Wright in the competition.

The Brazilian has already expressed excitement for UCL, citing pressure as a motivator for victories.

Against an Brugge undefeated at home in the last five Europeans, Martinelli should press from the start, focusing on crossings and infiltrations.

Tactical strategies involving the attacker

Arsenal plans high possession, with an average of 62% in European games, where Martinelli shines in quick transitions. Arteta positions him for duels with Belgian full-backs, such as Jorne Seys, exploiting his 57% rate in tackles won.

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Substitutions like Bukayo Saka offer rotation, but Martinelli must play the full 90 minutes to reach the record.

At Brugge, double marking can limit him, but his off-ball movement, with two offsides per game, creates imbalances.

These tactical adjustments aim to maintain Gunners’s unbeaten run in nine consecutive league matches.

Recent form and personal motivations

Martinelli is coming off a goal in the 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at the weekend, making it four consecutive goals in the Champions. Ele seeks titles with Arsenal, declaring a focus on helping the team advance straight to the round of 16.

The 24-year-old striker values ​​UCL for greater challenges than Premier League, where he already has 29 goals in 140 games.

• Four goals in four UCL 2024-25 games.
• 15 goals in Premier League 2022-23, personal peak.
• A decisive assist against PSG in the previous phase.

Your motivation elevates the collective, especially on European trips.

Highlights in individual duels

In the confrontation with K. I. Ben White supports from the right, but the focus is on the left edge.

Gyökeres complements with central finishes, while Martinelli creates with 55 in creativity.

These side matchups define Arsenal’s offensive flow.

Stadium context and fans

Jan Breydel Stadium, in Bruges, receives 29 thousand fans in winter weather, with intense local support for Brugge. Martinelli, accustomed to hostile atmospheres, uses this to increase performance.

The pitch in good condition favors his fast style, despite the December cold. Reinforced Segurança ensures focus on the game, with public transport facilitating access.

In a more detailed paragraph about the journey: Gabriel Martinelli, signed from Ituano in 2019 for just 7 million euros, has evolved from a promise to a global star, with 38 goals for the his impact goes beyond numbers, as in the comeback against Tottenham in 2022 with a goal in stoppage time, or in the undefeated campaign of Premier in 2023, where he was named man of the match five times; today, against Brugge, he can not only break the record for consecutive goals in the UCL – a first for Brazilians in Arsenal – but also consolidate the team’s advance with 16 points, guaranteeing leadership; with absences like Saliba, his high pressing, average of 1.8 dribbles per game, and accurate finishing (52% on target) make him indispensable, especially in a group where Arsenal scored nine goals and conceded two, reflecting collective efficiency under Arteta, who praised him for maturity at 24 years old.

Position in the table and next steps

Arsenal aims for 18 points for direct octaves, with Martinelli as the group’s top scorer. Brugge seeks playoffs with a home win.

Factors such as shots (12 per game from Brugge) test the defense, but the London striker balances it out.