AUGUSTINSSON: 'COMING HERE WAS AN EASY DECISION AS I KNOW WHAT THE CLUB HAS DONE IN RECENT YEARS'

The Swede, alongside his teammate at the time, Christian Poulsen, visited Nervión in February 2015 to watch Sevilla playing against Espanyol, whilst at a training camp in Andalusia: 'What I can remember from back then was that the fans were very passionate. The stadium is amazing and it was the first time that I watched a match in Spain, and I was really impressed with that. I had the feeling that, you know, it would be nice to come here one day, and six years later, I'm here, and it's a big day for me and my family to come to Sevilla.'

The transfer happened quite fast: 'I heard about the interest from my agent, and he told me that a few weeks ago, and then it stepped up a little bit more in the last few days. An offer came to Werder Bremen and then it went very quickly. I felt directly that I wanted to do this. It was a very easy decision for me because I know what Sevilla have done in the last few years, or many years, in Europe, but also in LaLiga, so it was an opportunity that I just had to take.'

'An offer came to Werder Bremen and then it went very quickly. I felt directly that I wanted to do this.'

Augustinsson is the first Swedish player in history to play for Sevilla, an achievement of which he immensely proud: 'Yeah, both, I feel, as you said, I didn’t know that, I thought there could have been one many years ago, but yeah, the first one, as you said, I feel very, very proud, but also the responsibility, because I want to do great and show that Swedish player has some quality too, so I’m looking forward to the challenge, and, as I said before, I can’t wait to get started, to get going, to start training with my teammates, and also to play games here in this amazing stadium, and for these fans, who I’ve heard a lot about.'

The thought of playing in the Spanish league excites him: 'Yeah, it’s very important and it’s a big step. I know Sevilla, as I said, the level they have shown in the last few years, and I think it’s a really good step for me. I think I can develop a lot here and I want to develop as a player, and I know my quality and I want to give 100% every day to be the best player I can be, and to get the responsibility to go out there and play for this great club, so, I’m really looking forward to it. And, there have been great steps for me along the way, and I had four years in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen and now to get a chance to play in La Liga, and in European cups with Sevilla is a big, big step for me, yeah, I can’t wait.'

He knows that he will have to adapt to the Spanish way of playing, which might be less physical than in the German league: 'Yeah, I think the football is very, very technical. This is what I’ve seen when I’ve seen it on TV. The top teams here play and obviously the Champions League is very technical football, a lot of football on the ground, obviously they want to play very fast so I’m looking forward to that. Also, maybe it’s a little bit less physical than Germany, but it will be interesting to get to know the league and to get to know to play here, to see what the difference is compared to where I’ve been before, but I’m looking forward and I think it will develop me as a player and a person. '

'The football might be more technical here rather than physical like it is in Germany, I'm looking forward'

He is well aware of the club's success, in particular in the league last season: 'Yeah, I know that they have won a lot of European cups in the last few years, in the last 15 years, and they’ve been very, very impressive, and obviously in La Liga I know that they were very close until the end of last season and they qualified for the Champions League, and I know that it’s a top team in Spain, it’s one of the four big teams. So, yeah, I know quite a lot. I know some of the players, of course, because they have done well at Sevilla and in their national teams, so I’m just looking forward to joining the team and to play with them.'

The Swede admits that he hasn't had to make any calls in the past few days to get more information about the club and the city: 'Actually, not this time because, I don’t know, obviously I was here six years ago with Christian Poulsen because he played in my team in Copenhagen then and obviously then he spoke very, very, very good about Sevilla, and then we were here to watch the game, and it gave me some really good impressions, but in the last few years I didn’t speak with anyone before this happened, but I already knew quite a lot and what they have done, the results they have done, and they’ve been very impressive, so it was easy for me.'

'Poulsen was my teammate at Copenhagen and he spoke very highly of Sevilla'

Augustinsson says that he can contribute in many different ways: 'Yeah, I would say that I’m quite an all-round player, I would say that I’m a good passer of the ball, I would say I have good crossing ability, and that I’m quite good defensively and offensively in both ways. I can do both of these which is important in my position. I would describe myself as that type of a player, and also a player that runs a lot and works hard for the team.' He is also more than happy for Lopetegui to decide where he wants him to play: 'Yeah, I feel most comfortable, I would say, as a left back in a back four, I played at Werder Bremen on the left of a five midfield, but it’s quite a little bit more higher up. But you need to do the defensive work as well as a left back. So, it’s not a big, big change for me, but for me my best position is left back, that’s what I prefer to play in, in a back four, but I can also play in a midfield 5, so that’s up to the coach, how he wants to play and use me, but as a left back is my best position.'

Competition for his position will be one of the eleven who won the Copa America, Marcos Acuña: 'Yeah, in such a big club like Sevilla, you know, there’s so much competition in every position, and it should be like this, so we have to be sharp every day. Of course, it’s a big competition for me, and I know that he has done really well here and then also with Argentina, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. As I said, I will give 100% every day to develop and then to get as much game time as possible, and then we’ll see, but I’m really looking forward to the challenge.'

'Acuña will be great competition, but I'm looking forward for the challenge'

As with any player who arrives in Nervión, the main objective is to win trophies: 'Of course, I mean the history shows here that Sevilla have won many titles in the last few years, and also in the history, and, of course, while I’m here it would be amazing to win a trophy, and I think that should always be a target and Sevilla have shown they can win things. I also think that the team is really, really strong and it will be nice to get to know them, but to win a title, it would be amazing, and obviously do well in Europe, but we will see. I don’t want to speak too much, I want to show on the pitch.'

He will also compete with the club in the Champions League, something that he did with Copenhagen in the 2016/17 season: 'Yeah, I mean, playing in the Champions League is what every player wants, I played five years ago, and it’s a bit of time now. I didn’t do it with Werder Bremen so I’m really looking forward to that, it is a special tournament and a special anthem before the game, and it’s something special, every player wants to play, so this is really giving me goosebumps.'