ZALAZAR: "I FEEL VERY MUCH AT HOME AND TRY TO SHOW THAT ON THE PITCH"
Wednesday, 21. October 2020, 13:45 Uhr
Rodrigo Zalazar was the most sought-after player after recovery training on Tuesday afternoon. Fresh from an impressive performance in the home game against FC Nürnberg, including a converted penalty, the Uruguayan fielded questions from the Hamburg media. With the help of translator Robin Himmelmann, Zalazar spoke about...
...his penalty against Nürnberg: "I thank God I hit the target and I thank my teammates. They gave me the confidence to convert the penalty as one of the youngest players on the field."
...head coach Timo Schultz: "He gives me the confidence to play the way I want to play. I missed that last year, so I feel very much at home here. I can live out my style of football here. I want to have a lot of the ball and pass it around, but I also like to dribble so we can get forward quickly when we switch the play."
...settling into the team: "I was very well received by the team from day one and feel very much at home. I try to show that on the pitch and I hope I can continue the way I did on Monday night."
...his energy and passion: "I'm hungry for success and want to help the team with good performances. I want to win games with my teammates and achieve our goals."
...his knowledge of FC St. Pauli before his transfer: "I'd already heard about the club and as a move became more likely I took a closer look. I like the way football is played and worked here and the way the club presents itself. I'm glad to be here."
Rodrigo Zalazar bursts past Nürnberg's Tom Krauß.
...interpreter Robin Himmelmann: "I was very happy to have someone to translate for me from the outset and help me with little things. But I get help from lots of other people as well, not just Robin."
...the support of the fans: "I received lots of positive messages from fans from day one. Obviously, it would be great to have the stadium full again at some point. The fans are an important factor, they can be a big influence when things aren't going well for us."
...communication with Eintracht Frankfurt: "I keep getting messages from players and staff asking how I am doing and wishing me luck for the games."
...the Uruguayan national team: "I'm working to play for the national team one day. I played lots of games to Under-20 level, but there's no Under-21 team in Uruguay at the moment."
...his family: "My mother is very important to me, but unfortunately she can't be in Hamburg that often. I live with my brother here in Hamburg. He's very important to me."
...his personal goals: "The team comes first. It's the most important thing to me. I want us to finish as high up the table as possible and contribute to this with a good performance every time I play. I haven’t set myself any specific targets, though."
Photos: Witters
