Mikel Merino picks out one player from Real Madrid set up he wants to play alongside

Arsenal are gearing up for their Champions League clash against Real Madrid. The Gunners have again fallen behind in the Premier League title race after a 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison Park. With their usual strikers unavailable, they have occasionally deployed Mikel Merino as a forward. As they prepare for the long battle ahead, Merino has shared his thoughts on a player he would like to play alongside. The Spaniard expressed his desire to team up with Rodrygo, praising the immense talent the Brazilian showcases on the pitch.

Talking about the Real Madrid side, Merino mentioned that all the players are spectacular and impressive. However, of all the players, Rodrygo is someone he would like to be paired with. He also pointed out that Rodrygo should not be considered underrated due to the high level he has reached. Merino opined that the Brazilian is technically superior, describing him as a fast and complete player in attack. He said:

They are all spectacular. Of the times I have played against them, one player I’d like to have in front of me as a teammate would be Rodrygo. 

I think he is a player who, I’m not going to say underrated because everyone knows the great level he has. “He has tremendous potential, he is very good technically, he is very fast and very complete as an attacker, and he is a player I really like

What did Ancelotti say about Arsenal ahead of the important game? 

After the defeat against Valencia, Carlo Ancelotti opined that Real Madrid will need to focus on the Copa del Rey and Champions League to salvage their season. However, he still believes they can win the Spanish top flight. Amidst these challenges, he emphasized the importance of his side showing their personality for the rest of the campaign. 

Speaking to the media ahead of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, Ancelotti mentioned that Arsenal are strong on set pieces. However, he stated that Los Blancos would defend as resolutely as possible but also have the capability to cause damage from set pieces themselves. He said:

Arsenal are very dangerous from set pieces. We will try to defend as well as possible. But we can also do damage when we have set pieces. It’s a very important aspect