Mikel Merino is Imanol's wild card at Real Sociedad, its extension on the field of play. An irreplaceable player who has recovered in time from some discomfort to play the great Cup final on Saturday. The Navarrese has gone through “El Larguero” to analyze that special derby of La Cartuja, and incidentally talk about his present and future in the selection.
Calm for the moment. “For now I'm fine, I'm not nervous, it wouldn't be too annoying to get nervous. It has been many months waiting for this final, many days of having it from behind, like a fly behind the ear, and it is not easy to concentrate when you know that he has such a date. important there on the calendar. “
Support from the fans. “I really want to play and win. On a day-to-day basis when you take a walk down the street, people stop you and give you encouragement and strength for the final. That is very nice.”
A special finale. “It is clearly the fact that it is a derby and Athletic gives the final a tad more morbid for everyone, and it is true that it is more than a normal final for the teams that face each other.”
Imanol's style. “I think I define it as courage, since Imanol joined the team he put us on the premise of being a brave team that attacks and defends high. The coach has given us that, that we are capable and that we have energy to play that way. And that is what is paying off for us. Imanol hit the mark by giving us the style of play that most identified us. And I am very happy to be able to fit into this Real “.
More tension than in another game. “In any game, the issue of pressure is fundamental to take into account. And in a final it is the most important thing. We are a young team without much experience at this level, but there are players who have experienced it, so that veteran players like Monreal and Silva who can give us that peace of mind can come in handy. But when we go out onto the pitch we are clear that we must be brave and we don't take that into account. “
Keys to the end. “I think that in all matches there are certain adjustments depending on the rival and how you feel. In a final nobody wants to go like a kamikaze we are going to continue being faithful to ours because there are our weapons but against rivals who come together so well and they go fast against it and that is something to take into account. We have adjusted that in the last games and this Saturday will be a good litmus test “.
Athletic. “I think they are in a good moment of form. The arrival of Marcelino has been very good for them because it is fresh air in the team and that motivates each other. They are in good dynamics but in mind it did not give him as much importance as in another moment”.
Relationship with his father. “We talk a lot. And he kills me. We always have the fight at home. My mother is the one who tells me how handsome I am and my father how ugly I am. We have that pique. We talk a little about everything, about my style of play, of my weak and strong points. Or how I got into the corners because I did it very well and that is something that I would love to get closer to how he did it. “
David Silva. “He is a very calm and leisurely person and controls very well what to do and in what way. He gives us a lot because he is giving us advice all the time. And he is a person who is missing with all the cache he has. We are very happy with what he has. football, but also in the dressing room is essential “.
Do not make hall to the champion in the league game. “Neither confirmed nor denied, because if there have been conversations I have not been in them. And in the locker room we have not had information on that subject. So if it is going to speak, I interpret that it has not been spoken because they have not commented on anything.”
Selection. “I was a bit in suspense because I know that the competition in the middle is very high. Now he has interpreted that other players were better and I respect him and I can only nitrate myself to try to grow and that he see it. And I hope I can be in the Eurocopa because yes it is something that I have in the mind “.
Individual defensive improvement. “I think it was something mental and mine, and also something physical. Because just a year ago I didn't have the ability to take on the work I do defensively. Now I look very capable. It is something that I had proposed to improve because they talked about me that he was very technical but defensively he was very soft and that's why I decided to change him. “