Arsenal star heats up Community Shield clash with bold statement

Mikel Merino quickly shifted focus to the Community Shield match, stating that Arsenal considers the impending encounter "another final" with the only objective being to win.

Arsenal has just wrapped up their pre-season preparations with a match against Como. Although they couldn't settle the match within 90 minutes and needed a penalty shootout to decide the winner, Mikel Arteta's side still showed many positive signs ahead of their next big challenge.

After the match, Mikel Merino was particularly pleased with how Arsenal controlled the game and created chances. The Spanish midfielder shared on Arsenal's official YouTube channel.

"We were dominant. The players are all in good shape. I think we deserved to win because we created very clear chances. We will take those positives into the next game and hope to control every match the way we did today."

The next match Merino referred to is the Community Shield against Manchester City, where Arsenal will have the chance to win the first trophy of the season. The 30-year-old midfielder did not hide his ambition for the first cup of the new campaign.

"It's another final and we want to win to bring more joy to the fans. Wearing this shirt and this badge means a lot. It means you have to give everything and play to the best of your ability.", Merino emphasized.

Merino's message also clearly reflects Arsenal's mindset ahead of the first big match of the season. After winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final last season, Mikel Arteta's team no longer enters the new season with the aim of proving they can compete. Arsenal is now in a position where every trophy must be targeted.

Therefore, the Community Shield is not just a pre-season warm-up. For a team that has just stood at the top of England and was only one match away from the European throne, the requirement for Arsenal now is almost singular: ultimate victory.