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On Tuesday, the newcomer of Turin's Juventus, Fernando Llorente, was officially presented to the press.
This summer, the forward refused to extend his contract with Bilbao Athletic club and signed a contract with the multiple Italian champions.
Yesterday, the Spaniard who landed at Turin airport was warmly welcomed by the Italian club's fans, and today he sat in front of the microphones to answer journalists' questions.
"Wearing Juventus jerseys was like a dream come true for me. It is a great club that showed the most attention and tried hardest to get my signature. I declined to play in the Premier League because Serie A is a wonderful championship and Juventus team participates in it," the Spaniard born in Pamplona smiled.
Last week, Juventus presented forward Carlos Tevez, acquired from Manchester City, who will form a threatening duo with F. Llorente.
"The team has a total of six forwards who can compete successfully, not just the two of us. The decision on who will play will be made by coach Antonio Conte. I think I can be paired with any of the forwards in the team. They are all high-class players, so I will be happy to work with them," he said.
When asked how he felt when he was greeted by a crowd of Juventus fans at Turin airport, F. Llorente replied: "It was wonderful, unprecedented. I was very surprised that so many fans were waiting for me. I would like to thank them and say that I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to wear the jersey of a prestigious club like Juventus."
"I like the nickname 'Re Leone' ('Lion King' in English). I am glad that Italians call me that. I know very well that playing in the Italian championship is extremely difficult, but I believe I can successfully adapt here. All that remains is to wait and see what will happen in the coming years," he said.
"I don't worry too much about personal statistics. The most important thing for me is to help the team win the third consecutive Scudetto. Juventus has not been able to do that since 1935, so it would be great if we could repeat it. Last year they rightfully became champions and I hope that together we can do it again," continued the 28-year-old footballer.
Asked about Juventus' chances of winning the upcoming season's UEFA Champions League, F. Llorente gave a diplomatic answer.
"It is a very difficult tournament, so we must step by step towards our goal. There are many high-caliber teams in this tournament, so we shouldn't feel too much pressure. We must prepare by relaxing and not rushing anywhere," he said.
"I have spoken with Conte several times. He left a positive impression on me, so I am glad that we will be able to work together. I am in great physical shape because I played for two years in a team led by the demanding Marcelo Bielsa. I also trained on my own this summer to be as well prepared as possible for the new step in my career," F. Llorente noted.
The giant of almost two meters tall received a question from Italian journalists about his playing style in the attacking field, dominated by header shots.
"Turin's team's game schemes will allow me to score many goals with my head. I think I can help Juventus in many ways. I hope to gain confidence and play better each time. Spanish players can achieve a lot in Italy, so I must prove that," promised the forward.
In recent months, F. Llorente rarely appeared on the field because failed negotiations for a new contract strained relations with the Athletic club.
"It's a pity that our negotiations ended unsuccessfully. The press made every effort to surround everything with negativity and turned the fans against me. I did not want everything to turn out this way, but I will always be grateful to this club and its fans," he said.
"The last season was the toughest for me, as I could not help my team. Because of this, I had to say goodbye to the opportunity to play for the national team. I hope everything will go smoothly in the Juventus team and I will return to the Spanish national team," F. Llorente hoped.
