“I bring intensity as standard, no one needs to infect me with it”

Mikel Merino He is from Navarre, a full international in Spain and, for his coach, “the best player in the League”. Logically, he has been in Athletic’s orbit on several occasions, among others in 2018, when he preferred to join Real from Newcastle. But this match has a lot of incentive for him for other reasons: “For me it’s a very special match because it’s a derby and for everything it means for Real and the fans of this, that comes to us and gives you extra”. And it is that in his opinion, because of the atmosphere that breathes and the rivalry “it is always very good to go to San Mamés to compete”. Bilbao, for the midfielder, “is a stadium where the derbies are hot and I like that, I like to be in the spotlight and on the biggest stage.”

There was no need for his youth colleagues to explain to him what the pique entails in this type of duels because “in Pamplona there is also the rivalry of Osasuna-Athletic and the games are of high intensity”. Besides, no one will explain to him how to deal with a fight like this: “Since I was a child my life has been like this, no one has to infect me with intensity because I carry it as a standard.” And he clarified that “I love playing this kind of game. It’s the greatest thing. I get goosebumps, you have that extra motivation that no one has to tell you about anything. I’ll enjoy it to fullest,” he said.

Happy with Osasuna

As a self-proclaimed “crib rojillo”, he admitted that Osasuna eliminated Athletic in a hurry to reach the Cup final: “It’s normal. Both my father and my mother are rojillos, I spent more than nine years in Osasuna and anything Osasuna’s success makes me 100% happy, as long as it’s not against me”, he explained.

For Merino, “there is no favorite especially in a derby like this”, because “the dynamics in these games are unpredictable and we both got on well”. That is why he sees a rivalry of the greatest rivalry “intense, even, which will be decided by the details, as always.”

That cup final

The derby he remembers the most is the Cup final, which “lasts forever” and the one that brings him the worst memory is the 4-0 last year, even though he left with 0-0 after receiving a blow to the head : “It’s very difficult. I’m in the locker room, the lights are off, I have a headache and I’m listening to the goals from the fans screaming. It’s an ugly moment to remember. I hope it’s different this time.”

Navarrese affirms that the victory against Getafe “gives a lot of morale to the team” and that “another victory in the derby will give us a lot of energy”. Of course “they’re good too.” He considers that they are in “good dynamics”, that they are “having a good season”, despite the Cup tie against Osasuna. “They have a very marked style, they respect him a lot and they compete in every game until the end,” he learned Merinowhich also emphasizes that the eternal enemy has a “very dangerous player”.

I support Nico

Merino He also takes the opportunity to send a message of support to his partner Nico Williamswho had to close his social networks due to the amount of insults received after the match against Osasuna: “A Nico We send him all our support because the pressure that exists around football is not easy to bear. When you win, everything is great and you want to be praised, but when you lose, the sticks come and it’s very difficult to prepare for that, especially for young players. Nico He is a charming, humble boy, who always has a smile, which I hope will not be taken away from him because they are not welcome in football”.