Mikel Merino believes Arsenal are ready to come of age in the Champions League this season.
Gunners midfielder Merino says they have a “maturity” within the squad that could see them become real challengers in Europe this season. Merino pointed to the emergence of teenage full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly as well as the new midfield featuring him, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
Spain international Merino, 28, part of his country's European Championship-winning squad last summer, also says the Champions League could be open this year if someone can match Real Madrid's 'amazingly good' talent to perform well in the competition can match.
Merino said: “We have a great squad, you can see that. The competition is at the highest level, the level of each player is enormous. I think that's good news for the coach, for the club and for the team, because we push each other and everyone has to raise the level to be able to play. So yeah, I think that's positive.
“The Champions League is a competition where small details and boxes are the things that change the game and you have to be very good at that. Real Madrid has been incredibly good at this in recent years and I think it will continue to be so. So the Champions League is something completely different and we have to be ready for every match.
“We have a very mature team. You can see in some phases of the game that you obviously don't have to be on top of the opponent for 90 minutes and just dominate, and that you will have phases where you have to defend. And in those phases where the team may not have control over the game, we can control it and I think the players don't panic if they don't have control over the game. So they are calm and collected, and that also shows maturity in that area.”
Merino praised youngster Lewis-Skelly – who made his first start in the Champions League – for his performances against Monaco and also enjoyed playing with Rice and Odegaard in midfield.
“He's a great guy. He's a really good kid, always humble, he just tries to learn from the others, asks questions and isn't afraid of being judged because he might ask a stupid question or whatever,” Merino said of Lewis-Skelly. “He always tries to learn with a positive attitude and he also has that technical and physical level that will bring a lot of joy to the people who see him play. You could see the calmness, you could see the quality that he has.
“It was a special midfield for the team and I felt really comfortable with those two. I mean, they're top class players. I think the three of us complement each other very well. We have different qualities and characteristics, but at the same time we know how to play with each other.
“It's about timing and more time together to learn what we want and where we want the ball and the places where we feel comfortable. But yeah, I think everyone who plays in this midfield or in any position in this team is doing great and that's the most important thing.”
Arsenal could now be just one win away (they play Dinamo Zagreb at home next month) from finishing in the top eight, meaning they go straight into the last 16 and avoid a play-off.
He added: “This is the goal. I mean, you should aim for the top spots of the table. At the moment I think we are also having a good season in the Champions League and we have to keep that going.
“We obviously aim for the highest, with our feet on the ground, because we have to remain humble and focus on the things we can improve, because there are clearly things we can improve. But we also have to keep in mind that we are a great team and we have to have confidence and continue to grow.”
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