Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde has admitted that two former La Liga players give Arsenal an edge ahead of their Champions League clash on Tuesday.
The Spanish side will welcome the Gunners for their first European game of the season. Last season, Arsenal reached the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking ahead of the game, Valverde praised Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, describing him as “one of the best managers in the world.”
Valverde highlighted Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, both of whom previously played for Athletic’s rivals Real Sociedad before moving to England.
“They’re the same players, so this experience will obviously help them improve further,” Valverde said.
“I think they’ve both started off on the right foot at Arsenal, especially because they’re used to a high pace and have the resources to handle themselves.
“We’ve already seen that Zubimendi has just arrived and is already shining there. I don’t know if he’ll have any special motivation.
“They already know us, so they may have an advantage in that sense, but hey, we know them too.”
