U19s: Bayern Munich v Arsenal - Preview

 By Lloyd Webb

All players have their lucky charms. For Julio Pleguezuelo, his best performances come when his family are in the stands.

Arsenal Under-19s’ captain scored twice against Olympiacos in the Youth League and was on target last season against Wolverhampton Wanderers for the under-21s, both times when he was playing in front of his proud mother and father who had travelled over from Spain to watch.

Pleguezuelo also produced an impressive performance in the under-19s’ 2-0 win against Bayern Munich in October, and the defender will be looking to play a similarly important role in the away tie at Grunwalder Stadium on Wednesday.

“It is good to score, even better if your family is there to be able to watch it,” he told Arsenal Player. “I scored last season against Wolves and they were here but they were here [against Bayern Munich]. I did not score but it is a good result for the team.

“It is good that we are nearly through to the next round and the team is getting better every game so we are probably there.

“I think the team is getting better every game. We are improving and I think this team can do very well. We do our best to do as well as possible.”

The defender has had to help his new defensive partner Krystain Bielik adapt to his new role as a centre-back this season.

“He is a new player who came in at Christmas,” he said. “I think he is a midfield player but they moved him to centre back and I think every game he plays next to me he gets better. Communication is improving.”

Arsenal Under-19s have maintained a 100 per cent win record in the Uefa Youth League and currently sit top of their group having beaten Bayern, Olympiacos and Dinamo Zagreb.

Follow @Arsenal on Twitter from 1pm (UK time) on Wednesday for live updates of the game against Bayern Munich Under-19s.