Mikel Merino returns as Arsenal seal Premier League title
Mikel Merino spoke about the Premier League title triumph for Arsenal.
The Spaniard had featured as a false nine and a right sided ten for the Gunners in the first half of the campaign, offering a valuable alternative to Viktor Gyokeres in the autumn under Mikel Arteta’s transformation of Arsenal. However, he suffered a foot injury against Manchester United in January, and the problem required surgery to fix.
‘It’s a pleasure to be part of this group’
It was touch-and-go for Merino and his Arsenal season statistics, but he managed to make his comeback off the bench against Crystal Palace on the final day of the campaign, featuring for half an hour. He will hope to play a part against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, but for now, the group deserve to enjoy the fruits of their labour as the first side to seal the title for the club since the Invincibles in 2003/04.
“It feels amazing! It feels like a dream come true – it’s very heavy as well, a heavy trophy! The reality is that this group of players have worked so hard for this trophy, these fans as well.
“I mean, it’s a pleasure to be part of this group and part of this generation that brought the Premier League back to Emirates Stadium. I can’t put it into words, to be honest.
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“From everyone watching us on TV, you might see just another team. But when you see us up close, you see how this team behaves on a daily basis at the training ground.
“You see these guys are a group of friends, family – that the most important thing in this club. We’re making a strong group, we’re making a team where if things go wrong, they stick together, they push through it, and this is what we’ve done this season to show that unity is what gave us the title.”
“I mean, I can’t ask for any more. Probably a goal would’ve been nice! But no, after so long with some bad times in between, not knowing if I was going to be able to come back or how long the injury was going to be, if I was going to miss the end of the season.
“Being part of this, it’s amazing to be back on the grass, to be with my teammates, all of them that have supported me big-time, so I’m very grateful for them, for my family, for all the fans that have been supporting me throughout this period – and yeah, massive.”