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Nacho Monreal played with Mikel Arteta during their time together at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. Arteta returned to the club as a manager and he is now trying to restore the club to the heights they hit under Wenger. And ahead of their first-leg clash in Turin tomorrow, Monreal gave an interview to the Telegraph, where he spoke about both Arteta and Wenger.
“He is a very direct guy, who knows what he wants,” Monreal said of Arteta. “He understood the game, he corrected his teammates, regardless of his position on the field. He knew where each one had to be. He is a leader, he knows how to transmit, reach the footballer. And he always told us that he wanted to be a coach.
“His work was wonderful,” he added about Wenger. “He took over a historic team and he totally changed them. Then he had to evolve and change because they had to pay for the new stadium by selling their best players. Wenger managed to keep the team in the top four. Since Wenger left, no one has returned (them) to the Champions League. He is a great guy who I have a special affection for – a man who gave Arsenal a lot in 22 years.”
Monreal could face Arsenal in the Europa League as the rounds go on. Both Sociedad and Arsenal have tricky ties, with Arteta’s side up against Portuguese giants Benfica in the round of 32.
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