Mikel Merino insists Arsenal are really confident of going to Paris and winning the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against PSG.
Arsenal are 1-0 down on aggregate following the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against PSG, with Ousmane Dembele scoring the only goal of the Gunners’ home leg.
PSG will back themselves to secure the draw they need to progress to the final in front of their own fans, but Mikel Merino insists Arsenal aren’t giving up yet.
“It was a tough game,” Merino began by admitting. “Every minute counts, and in the first 10-15 minutes maybe we didn’t perform at the level we are used to, but I think the team recovered really well from the goal.”
“We know we have a really good team, a powerful team, and we are really confident that we’re going to win the second leg,” Merino added. “I think people are optimistic.
“We know that what we showed today is just the beginning of what we are, and obviously really confident, really full of power for the second leg.
“We can’t wait to go to Paris.”
Arsenal have already had some strong away results in the Champions League this season, beating Sporting CP 5-1 and Girona 2-1 in the League Phase, PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the last-16, and Real Madrid 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
One more win in 90 minutes would be enough to take the semi-final tie to extra time at the very least.
The Gunners will have more options for the second leg, with Thomas Partey returning from suspension to allow both Merino and Declan Rice to move further up the pitch.
There’s also at least some possibility Riccardo Calafiori could return, but the second leg will likely come too soon for Kai Havertz and Jorginho.
Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Gabriel Magalhaes all remain out for the season.