Merino confident Sociedad can overturn PSG deficit

Mikel Merino is confident Real Sociedad can overturn the 2-0 deficit against Paris Saint-German on home soil.

Merino, 27, put in a positive performance in the Champions League last-16 tie against Kylian Mbappe and Co but could not prevent the French champions from twice breaching the Sociedad defence in the first leg.

And the talented midfielder believes his side have enough to cause plenty of problems for PSG in Spain.

He said: "We are satisfied with the work effort, we have seen that when we do things well we can compete with them and we will go back to our stadium with our fans and give this all the energy in the world.

"We are optimistic, in the end this is football. Two goals is nothing and at home, with our fans pushing as we have done in the last games in the Champions League, I think we have a chance. 

"It's all about being efficient, about scoring goals, which is what we haven't done lately but we know that with our fans we can do it."

Sociedad failed to register a shot on target at the Parc des Princes and were wasteful with their chances.

While at the other end, Mbappe and Bradley Barcola struck either side of the hour mark to give Luis Enrique's men a handy advantage.

Merino is aware that big moments make the difference in the Champions League and insists his side must take their opportunities in the second leg.

He added: "Things are not a coincidence in football, this is now two games in a row we have let in a goal on a dead ball.

"It's true that just before Kylian Mbappe scored, we had the bad luck to receive a hit on the player who was supposed to mark him, putting another player who isn't used to being in that position there. 

"These details mark the difference at this level. Against a rival of this quality, you have to avoid even the slightest of mistakes and today we have two or three and they scored two goals."