Former Newcastle United midfielder Mikel Merino is now displaying his talents in the knockout stages of the Champions League, with a teammate from Real Sociedad praising the Spain international as ‘exceptional.’
In Wednesday’s last-16 match at the Parc des Princes, the strengths and weaknesses of Imanol Alguacil’s team were effectively demonstrated. La Real had several clear opportunities against the PSG defense.
However, they were unable to convert those chances into goals, proving as ineffective as a dull knife against the sharpness of Kylian Mbappe. Real Sociedad’s goalless streak now extends to five games across all competitions, a trend that is likely to end their Champions League journey and put their chances of European qualification for the 2024/25 season at risk.
Kieran Tierney, currently on loan from Arsenal to the Spanish club, highlights that Real Sociedad has several truly ‘world-class’ players in their squad, including former Newcastle United prospect Mikel Merino.
The Scottish international told The Guardian: “You have exceptional players like (Martin) Zubimendi, Merino, Brais. It’s not that people don’t think they’re good. It’s just that if you’re only watching the Premier League every week, it’s difficult to know how good these players are. They’re exceptional.”
However, it’s worth noting that none of the players Tierney considers elite play as center-forwards. Andre Silva, Carlos Fernandez, and Umar Sadiq often fail to take advantage of the opportunities created by Merino, Brais Mendez, and the dynamic Takefusa Kubo.
Merino famously spent only one season at St James’ Park, making 25 appearances under Rafael Benitez before his move to La Liga, triggered by the £10 million release clause in his Newcastle contract.
Now 27 years old, Merino has earned nearly 20 caps for Spain since leaving Tyneside. Additionally, he was included in La Liga’s Team of the Year for the 2022/23 season.
According to the Source caughtoffside.com