Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino remains upbeat about his team’s chances of reaching the Champions League final despite a narrow 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their semi-final clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Ousmane Dembele’s strike was the difference on the night, giving PSG a slight advantage ahead of the return leg in Paris.
Arsenal had opportunities to level the score, including a Merino goal disallowed for offside early in the second half. PSG also came close to extending their lead, hitting the crossbar late in the game.
“Paris is a tough place to go, but we have always proved that we can compete against anybody, and with all due respect, I think we are going to win the second leg,” said Merino, expressing full confidence in Arsenal’s ability to turn the tie around.
“We have proved we can win anywhere, the Bernabeu (beating Real Madrid 2-1) and against any side in the Premier League, too, so that gives us a lot of confidence,” he added. “The result (at the Emirates) changes nothing because the mentality of this team is always to win, even if we were three up going to Paris.”
In the absence of Thomas Partey, who was suspended, Merino featured in midfield for the first leg. However, with Partey available for selection again, Merino could return to a more advanced role in the second leg.
Both Arsenal and PSG are in pursuit of their first-ever Champions League title, with the decisive match set to take place in Paris next Wednesday.
