Bellerin: Pressure helps me improve

Hector Bellerin is determined to prove his worth at Arsenal this campaign after breaking into the first team last campaign.

The 20-year-old became an important member of the first XI in 2014-15 following fellow right-back Mathieu Dubuchy’s injury problems and the Spaniard is keen to show that his impressive contribution last season was no accident.

Bellerin realises there will be added pressure in his second season in the first team, yet he feels this will only help him grow as a player.

“A lot of people talk about that second season stuff but what plays in my favour is that I played 28 games last season. I’m confident, I know that I can play and you know that all the experiences always play in your favour,” Bellerin told the Arsenal website.

“You’ve got both sides of it – people saying that other teams know what you play like and know how to stop you, but you’ve got the confidence and the experience.

“At the beginning of the first season, you don’t have that pressure to perform at 100 per cent, because it’s always hard when you first start. But now, in the second season, people are expecting big things from you, so you can’t really disappoint them.

“You have to play your ‘A’ game in every single match and that’s a good thing. That’s something that makes you grow as a player and for me this season is hopefully about getting the same minutes, starting every game and helping the team to do great things.”