The Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino made it clear this Tuesday that the national team will miss Dani Carvajal and Rodri Hernández “a lot” after their serious knee injuries, and he was happy to return to the national team after overcoming an already “forgotten” injury and then of having lived “one of the best summers” of a life that has changed him “literally” after signing for the English Arsenal in search of “growing.”
“We are going to miss them a lot, but there is no point in regretting because right away we have a game and we have to win, and right away we have another one and we have to win again. We have to keep working, live in the present, all get together so that This continues to be a family and a pineapple, that is the way to face low moments or bumps in the road,” commented Mikel Merino at a press conference during the concentration of the Spanish team for the Nations League matches against Denmark and Serbia. .
The Navarrese emphasized the “bad luck” of losing “two very important weights” within the locker room, but believes that at the same time “the door opens” for other players who are also “very prepared” to have “opportunities.” . “I can play in the center without a problem, but here all the times I have participated with this coach it has been inside. Of course, I am ready for whatever the coach asks of me,” he added about the possibility of replacing Rodri.
The Arsenal player confessed that he has had “one of the best summers of my life.” “With the European Championship and the goal I managed to score against Germany, and then signing for Arsenal. It has literally changed my life. Obviously it is something you have to adapt to, you are never used to having such things happen to you. in such a short period of time, but I hope many more come like this,” he wished.
“I feel good and strong, with the injury forgotten. I am happy to be back here with my teammates after the Euro Cup, and very happy to start a new adventure with the teammates with whom we have done such great things until now.” now. We are hungry to continue doing them,” said the European champion with Spain.
Regarding the choice for Arsenal, the midfielder is clear that it was a “project” that caught his “a lot of attention.” “The ambition that both the coach and all the players have is incredible. They have values very similar to mine. It is a moment in my career in which I seek to grow, try to win titles, and that is what has been what Arsenal have done in these last two seasons. I hope to help them achieve a Premier League or a Champions League, which are their goals,” he hoped.
The international also praised his new coach, Mikel Arteta, whom he sees with “a lot of passion for what he does.” “He loves being a coach, not only the tactical aspect of the game, but also the emotional aspect, that of managing groups. You just have to look at the results that the team has had, and how he has managed to turn around a club that was in a difficult situation and look at them now, to see the level of coach he is,” he said.
The Pamplona player also analyzed the saturation of the calendar and thinks that the most important thing is that the players “are in their best shape”, because there will be “more spectacle”. “We are going to be fresher for the matches, there are going to be more goals and there are going to be more high-level matches. It is something that both fans, as well as FIFA and UEFA, want. It is everyone’s responsibility to reach a neutral point and to solve all this,” he said.
Finally, Merino spoke about Lamine Yamal’s talent and how he has changed since his debut in the national team. “He’s still the same smiling boy, the same 17-year-old who laughs and doesn’t stop making jokes, and that’s part of his charm. He’s starting to gain confidence, to understand a little bit about the times we live in. a playing field, and of course you are seeing an incredible version of him,” he celebrated.
“He is a unique talent in the world and he is showing it to us, but we have to know that it is very difficult to maintain this level always. He has his feet on the ground and is very aware of the environment he lives in. He will know how to manage everything very good”, concluded the Navarrese footballer.