The Gunners advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals after an impressive 9-3 aggregate win over PSV in the round of 16. ..Continue Reading
Meanwhile, Real Madrid faced a challenging test against their city rivals Atletico Madrid, ultimately progressing through a penalty shootout.
Arsenal is set to host Real Madrid for the first leg of their quarter-final on April 8, with the return leg scheduled at the Bernabeu on April 16.
According to Merino, the ‘aura’ surrounding Madrid in the Champions League has become a prominent topic of discussion within the Arsenal squad.
‘They ask me what the stadium is like, what the atmosphere is like, if the aura surrounding Real Madrid in the Champions League and their comebacks are true,’ Merino told Onda Cero.
‘And of course, when they’ve done it so many times, that’s the image people have of them.
‘That aura that Real Madrid has in the Champions League, of comebacks, of heroics, is no coincidence, when they do it so often.’
Merino was also asked who he considers as favourites to win the Champions League but the Arsenal star insists there is not one standout team remaining in the competition.
‘Talking about favourites is very difficult because the Champions League shows you that the details make the difference,’ Merino said.
‘There are three or four teams that can be considered favourites, but you can’t just pick one.’
In other Champions League quarter-final matchups, Inter will take on Bayern Munich, Barcelona will clash with Borussia Dortmund, and Aston Villa will go head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain.
The victor of the Arsenal vs. Real Madrid showdown will advance to the semi-finals to face the winner of the Aston Villa vs. PSG tie.
