Mikel Merino explains why Premier League title means more to Arsenal than Champions League
The Spaniard opened up on what winning the Premier League meant to Arsenal's players after the club ended their 22-year wait for the title.
Mikel Merino explains why Premier League title means more to Arsenal than Champions League originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Mikel Merino says winning the Premier League carries a unique importance inside the Arsenal squad after the club ended their 22-year wait for a league title this week.
The Gunners were confirmed as champions on Tuesday following Manchester City 's draw against Bournemouth , capping off a remarkable domestic campaign under Mikel Arteta. Speaking ahead of the game, Merino admitted he had been intrigued to learn how highly Arsenal's players rated Premier League success compared to the Champions League. "It’s something I asked the dressing room," Merino told SER .
"The players themselves told me that the Premier League was more important than the Champions League. MORE: Why Arsenal winning their first Premier League title in 22 years matters so much "Coming from Spain, I was used to thinking the Champions League was the most important, but seeing how difficult the Premier League is, it’s harder for me to choose one or the other. ” Arsenal now have the chance to complete a historic double when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest on May 30.
Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Merino believes finally reclaiming the Premier League title means everything to supporters and players alike after more than two decades without domestic success. "It's a league victory, and it's very sweet because of the way and the context after 22 years without winning it. "I think they'd [Arsenal fans] rather have won this league title than the Champions League against PSG, even though it's true that it's their first ever," he added.