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Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde has revealed that Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi could give Arsenal an advantage in the clash against his side. Both teams are set to lock horns in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, September 16, at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao.
Valverde suggested that Merino and Zubimendi's previous experiences with Real Sociedad could give Arsenal an edge against Athletic Club in a press conference ahead of the game. He went on to claim that he had always believed that the duo were decent players, saying (via Arsenal Insider):
“I’ve always thought they were both good, both when they were at Real Sociedad and now, we already see that Zubimendi has arrived and is already shining, and I don’t know if he has a special motivation."
He continued:
“They also know us; it’s a bit of an advantage that they can have in that sense, but we also know them. We hope it’s a good match, we hope they don’t shine as much as they’d like, but it’s also an added incentive to be able to face those players.”
Merino has been a key and versatile player since joining the Gunners from Real Sociedad for a reported £31.6 million in August 2024. He has registered nine goals and delivered five assists in 47 appearances for Mikel Arteta's side.
Zubimendi has also been bright in the Gunners' midfield since joining them from Real Sociedad for a reported £51 million this summer. The Spaniard has scored two goals in four games for the north London giants.
Thus, both players are expected to leverage their experience and knowledge of Valverde's side in helping the Gunners secure a victory in the encounter. Arsenal crowned off their pre-season with a 3-0 win over Athletic Club last month (August 2025).
"He’s on his way to getting his 20 goals" - Robbie Mustoe on Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres
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Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City - Premier League - Source: Getty
Former Middlesbrough midfielder Robbie Mustoe has claimed that Viktor Gyokeres could score 20 goals this season. He also believes that Gyokeres's goalscoring proficiency could help Mikel Arteta's side in winning the Premier League this season.
Speaking in a recent interview on 2 Robbies Podcast, Mustoe said, as quoted by (Arsenal Insider):
“Those numbers, he’s going to rack up the numbers, 20 goals, they win the league, is my comment at the start of the season, and he’s on his way to getting his 20 goals.”
Gyokeres has scored three goals in four games this season. He joined the Gunners from Sporting CP for a reported £55 million this summer. The striker will be hoping to help the Gunners win the Premier League title this term.
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Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.
A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.
He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.
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