Mikel Arteta gets message from Mikel Merino's dad over positional change vs Real Madrid

Mikel Arteta has been lauded for his tactical prowess following Arsenal's resounding 3-0 victory over . And Mikel Merino's father is among those singing his praises for unlocking his son's potential in Tuesday's clash.

Merino, 28, made a move to north London from Real Sociedad last summer and quickly became a fixture in 's midfield after recovering from a shoulder injury. However, long-term injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus necessitated his move into a more central attacking role. It's is a position he has occupied for Spain in the past, with recent performances validating Arteta's decision to trust him in this role. And Angel Miguel Merino, his father, has lauded the decision while praising his son's goal-scoring ability.

"He had it in him, it was a matter of bringing it out and putting him in that position," he told El Larguero (via ). "It's not where he feels most comfortable because he likes to touch the ball more often, but when he has to finish, he's always been a player who can score. He's a good finisher and he's proving it."

Merino Jr demonstrated this with his second-half strike against Los Blancos. A late adjustment saw him connect with Myles Lewis-Skelly's cross, managing to generate enough power while moving away from goal to drive the ball low into Thibaut Courtois' bottom-left corner.

The goal took Merino's tally to eight in his debut season at Arsenal. And six of those have come since his shift to a more forward role almost two months ago.

Basking in the triumph of Arteta's latest victory, Merino Sr also offered Arsenal some words of caution. The ex-Osasuna midfielder - who made his La Liga debut at Real Madrid's Bernabeu - reminded everyone at Arsenal the task is far from finished.

"I felt the same joy with the third goal as with the previous two, probably a little more because Mikel scored, but with the peace of mind that the second leg is still to come and we shouldn't get carried away.

"Real Madrid has shown on countless occasions that it can turn the tie around. The result gives you room to manoeuvre, but we know that matches and knockout rounds at the Bernabeu can't be considered won."

The Gunners' sole competitive outing at the Bernabeu resulted in a 1-0 win back in February 2006. Thierry Henry was the star of the show after scoring the decisive goal, which led them past the round of 16 and eventually to the final, where they lost to Barcelona.

Arteta's side are eager for to repeat history against Real as they aim to use Los Blancos as a springboard into the semi-finals, potentially facing either PSG or Aston Villa. And Merino is poised to play an integral part in their destiny during the crucial return leg in Madrid.