MARIANO: "IT HAS TO BE A GREAT YEAR BOTH PERSONALLY AND COLLECTIVELY"

After the confirmation of his arrival on Saturday and training for the first time on Sunday, Mariano Díaz has officially spoken to the media for the first time as a Sevilla player: "It was all quite stressful, but I have a happy ending as I'm now where I wanted to be. It has been a long transfer window for me, in which I waited for an ambitious offer like the one from Sevilla, a team that competes at the top. I'm so happy that I was able to be given this option and that I can be here today. It has happened a bit late, but I have kept up training so hopefully I can integrate myself into the team quickly. I've been working with a personal trainer, practising every day and waiting for a call like the one I received on the last day, in the hope of joining my teammates in training soon."

He spoke more about his new team and squad number: "It is a team that I've always liked. Since I was small, looking up to strikers like Kanouté and Luis Fabiano. Víctor convinced me and I didn't think twice. It is an honour to wear Kanouté's #12 shirt, I know it has a great legacy and I will try to live up to it. Sevilla, the club aside, is a team that suits my style of play and which can compete in the Champions League, LaLiga and the Copa [del Rey], going all out." On his ambition, he prioritises that of the team: "The collective objective is to help the team and try to finish as high as possible in all competitions and nothing more. I also would like to feel like a footballer again, to be important and to score goals again."

"A team that can compete in the Champions League, LaLiga and the Copa del Rey"

Regarding a previous opportunity to join the club in 2018, he insisted that "in that moment, already five years ago, I made the decision to stay where I was, but today I am here because that is what I want and I'm very happy." In addition, he spoke about his spell at Real Madrid: "You have to be mentally strong when you don't play many minutes, but things have worked out well and I'm very excited to be here. I take it as a very important opportunity, and it has to be a great year both personally and collectively. At first I want to take things one step at a time, training with the team and seeing how I feel. Then, as soon as I can, I will let the coach know that I want to play as soon as possible".

On his new team, he admitted that: "I haven't had much time yet because it was all at the end of the market and I haven't been able to talk to any of them, but I'm looking forward to it." Focussing on his fellow forwards, he commented on how "both are fantastic strikers and I think we can play together." To finish off, he left a message: To the fans, I want to say that I will put all my efforts into this shirt, that I will leave everything on the pitch and that we will push to go as far as possible."