“It is ours for sure” – Arsenal star makes big Champions League claim after statement victory at PSV | OneFootball

Arsenal star Mikel Merino has made it clear that the club’s aim is to win the Champions League after they made a real statement last night by thrashing PSV Eindhoven 7-1.

The Gunners were without four of their star attacking players as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are all injured at the moment, but they ran riot in Holland to make the second leg of this tie a formality as they prepare for the Champions League quarter-finals.

Merino was among the scorers for Arsenal, with the Spain international doing surprisingly well since making the move up front during this injury crisis for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal have never won the Champions League and have only once reached the final of the competition, with the north London giants known as serial under-achievers in Europe.

However, with the title race now surely over, Arsenal might find they can put all their focus into the Champions League in a way that they haven’t had much of an opportunity to do before.

Merino certainly seems bullish about Arsenal’s hopes, insisting the team is looking to win the trophy and tipping them to be one of the main contenders.

Mikel Merino in action for Arsenal against West Ham (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Mikel Merino makes big Arsenal Champions League claim

Speaking in the mixed zone after last night’s game, Merino said: “Whenever you start a competition like this, if you don’t think that you can win it, it’s better not to come and play.

“I think it has to be the goal of every single team in this tournament and it is ours for sure.

“We are here to win, to win every single game … in the end I think we will be close to winning it.”

Merino joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad last summer and has shown his value as a reliable squad player this season, and it’s clear he has the right attitude towards trying to win trophies as well.