“We’re not afraid” – Arsenal forward Mikel Merino speaks up on how to stop Real Madrid’s attack ahead of crunch UCL clash

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has sent a defiant message ahead of the first leg of his side’s Champions League quarterfinals tie against Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, April 8. The Gunners will come into the game on the back of the disappointing 1-1 draw against Everton over the weekend.

The north London side are already 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race. They now have the daunting task of facing 15-time champions Real Madrid in the Champions League, which could be their only hope of silverware this season.

However, speaking to MARCA ahead of the game, Merino insisted that Arsenal are not afraid of Los Blancos.

“At first, it was difficult for them to connect with everyone, but now, they’re connecting. If you let your guard down for a second, if you don’t cover them properly, they can find an advantage and cause trouble. We have a lot of respect for them, but we’re not afraid,” said Merino.

Real Madrid haven’t been in their element this season and suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Valencia over the weekend. Carlo Ancelotti’s team barely managed to qualify for the knockouts of the Champions League this year, scaping through via a playoff win over Manchester City.

Interestingly, Arsenal have never lost to Los Blancos in the premier European club tournament so far, registering one win and one draw from two meetings.

Will Real Madrid pip Arsenal to the services of a LaLiga forward?

Nico Williams will turn down Arsenal in favor of a move to Real Madrid, according to journalist Francois Gallardo. The Gunners are reportedly hot on the heels of the Spanish forward, who is expected to leave Athletic Bilbao this summer.

The north London side are looking for a new forward on the left flank and have identified Williams as an option for the job. The 22-year-old reportedly has a €58 million release clause in his deal, which shouldn’t be a problem for Arsenal either.

However, speaking on No Hay Pelotas, as cited by TEAMtalk, Gallardo suggested that Williams will replace Vinicius Junior at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“Vinicius [Junior] is going to Saudi Arabia, and Nico Williams will be a Real Madrid player. I already said in September of last year that there had already been contacts regarding Vinicius and William’s departure to Madrid,” said Gallardo.

Defensa Central have already reported that Williams turned down Barcelona as his dream is to play for Los Blancos.

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Edited by Ritwik Kumar