The new arrival praises the group after his unofficial debut

Following the resounding 7-0 victory against RC Strasbourg, Rodrigo Zalazar spoke to journalists in attendance at the preseason friendly. The new Sporting CP midfielder played his first minutes for the club in the game, and scored a penalty.

“It was a dream debut. I'm also happy with how the team played, because we had a great performance. We have to keep up this momentum, because we're very close to the start of the season,” he began by saying.

Zalazar highlighted that he had found “a great group in terms of people” at Sporting CP.

“They’ve made me feel very comfortable immediately. It's very impactful to arrive at a team and in the first few days you already feel like you've been here for a long time. We’ve brought in many new players and I think we’re showing the quality we have and what we can add. The players who were already here are incredible, so I think we’ve found a good balance. I think we have a great team and a great group,” praised Zalazar.

“I want to help my teammates as much as possible and do my job. The coach has shown me a lot of confidence from day one. For me, it’s a pleasure to work with him.”

Regarding his move to Sporting CP, the former SC Braga player revealed that it was an “easy decision.”

“When the opportunity arose, I immediately told my agent that I wanted to come to the club, and that I didn’t have to think twice. I’m very happy to be here and I hope to stay for a long time,” concluded the 26-year-old footballer, unafraid of carrying the label of the most expensive player in Sporting CP’s history.

“This club is a footballing giant, it was a big money transfer, but I try to handle it naturally. The responsibility you have starts from the moment you put on this shirt, no matter how much you cost,” considered Zalazar.

The midfielder will wear the number 17 shirt this season vacated by the outgoing Francisco Trincão.

“I would have liked to have played with him. For me, it’s an honour to wear the number that was his before, and I hope to do things as well as he did,” he underlined.

Excited to play alongside striker Luis Suárez, he will also team up with compatriot Maxi Araújo.

“I can’t wait to meet up with Luis to start getting to know him better and create our dynamic, because he is a key player for us. Maxi is a special person for me because we’ve been friends for many years. I’m very happy to be here with him, and I think we’ll be happy together,” concluded the most recent Sporting CP signing.