Arsenal Mikel Merino has lifted the lid in life in the Emirates Stadium under his namesake Mikel Arteta prior to the hosting of Real Madrid.
Now that the Arsenal season is effectively dependent on their quarter -final double header against Los Blancos, Merino will play a key role, which led the Arsenal attack.
Arteta chose the rest club captain Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka from the start in Arsenal's 1-1 weekend Premier League-equal game at Everton with the latter just back from a long-term injury.
The lack of central attacking options from Arsenal means that Merino will start in that role against the visitors to Carlo Ancelotti with the Basque star who enjoys a strong series of target scoring form as an unexpected center ahead.
With Raheem Sterling suspended, Merino, Saka and one of Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard should start, with former Los Blancos star Odegaard in midfield.
After she has chosen to let Real Sociedad go for a summer, to accept Arteta's Drive late to take him to North Londs, Merino is impressed by his fellow Basque resident.
“It has been a nice year here at Arsenal. I see things I have never worked in my career before, and it helps me to learn about football and grow”, according to reports from Mundo Deportivo.
“Arteta is a very complete coach. He has taken the best of Pep Guardiola, and you can see that period he had with him every day in practice in Arsenal.
“The idea is that we are a dominant team that bears the weight of the game and the opponent does not prevail.
“We want to subject them and limit their attacks enormously. I think he also has his own touches, his methodology and that is what does best – take the best out of every role in which they have worked.
“I think he, if not the best, is undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the world.”
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