Mikel Arteta will be relieved that his men do not have to take on one of the main men in the ranks of Athletic Club on Tuesday. But the bigger picture for the **Arsenal**manager is a worrying one as he feels that clubs need "more players and more resources" to save the stars of the game from injuries.
‘You sense the passion, the rivalry’
This is a trip that means a lot to Arteta. He was born in San Sebastian, where he played football with Xabi Alonso in his youth. Then came a half-season with the midfielder at Real Sociedad, the rivals of Athletic Club. It is a derby that transmits a passionate energy that still resonates with the 43-year-old.
“We landed in Bilbao, that’s where I land when I go back home to San Sebastian, it’s an hour's drive from there. All my family is from there, and you can just sense the passion, the rivalry, the football atmosphere. It’s great to be here - I’ve never been in this stadium before, so it’s a good experience.”
He admitted that members of his family from the Basque Country will be present at San Mames.
“All of them, no, but a big majority will come, and we’re looking forward to that.”
Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino are two of the latest recruits for Arteta. The Spaniard spoke more about the 29-year-old, who scored a hat-trick for La Roja from midfield against Turkey.
“Mikel Merino* has been at a very high level for a long time, but the transcendence of what he’s doing is enormous: his quality, his character, his personality, the variability he gives us in his performance.”*
‘Nico is a great player’
Nico Williams is the standout name on the starting eleven for the Basque outfit. However, he had a troubled campaign after the Euros of 2024 with a groin injury, and a similar issue also forced him off the field before the break against **Turkey**in a 6-0 victory, so he will be absent from this fixture.
“Spain* lost three very important players. We have lost three very important players through injuries, and this is part of the normal process. We have to try to get these players ready. It’s almost impossible to play 64 matches. That’s why all the managers and clubs need more players and more resources.”*
As the strain of the schedules increases, many sides are having to adapt to the absences of key men.
“I imagine Ernesto Valverde would like to have him, like we would like to have other great players that can’t be there.”
In the last two summers, Williams was heavily linked with a move to North London. In the end, he renewed with a long-term deal in the Basque Country, while Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze have added to the wide options for the Gunners. Arteta is not looking back at possibilities from the past.
“I can’t say. I can only say that Nico is a great player that you enjoy every week here and in the national team, and I can’t say much more.”