Nacho Monreal’s eyes light up.
The Arsenal defender is sat at his club’s bustling training ground just outside St Albans, as the Premier League season draws to a close and the topic of The Emirates FA Cup is raised.
It’s a competition which the likeable Spaniard has an instant affinity with as he contemplates being part of a history-making Gunners team should they win Saturday’s Final against Chelsea.
With 12 FA Cup titles to their name, two of which Monreal helped them to in 2014 and 2015, Arsenal are joint-record Cup winners alongside Manchester United.
And the prospect of helping his club to the top of the honours list, as well as completing his own trio of medals, has brought on a thoughtful look.
“Obviously, we have good memories,” he told the official FA Cup Final match programme.
“It’s very important for the club, but also if we win and we are part of the team who have won The FA Cup for the record, that’s important in the history of the competition and the club.
“We want to do it and we know that it’s going to be very difficult, but we can do it.
“When we won the semi-final, we knew we would be coming back for the Final and that is very important for the fans because this competition means a lot for English people.
“It’s a very important trophy and we have the opportunity to win it again.
“We all know that Arsenal fans are waiting for the Final now, because it’s been a difficult season for us.
“We have the opportunity to forget what has happened in the league and be focused on the Final.”
Of course, the 2-1 semi-final victory over Manchester City last month was particularly memorable for Monreal.
