Zalazar on the Champions League: "Sporting can compete on equal terms with everyone!"

The esteemed German magazine Kicker has featured a Sporting player as one of the main protagonists in its special UEFA Champions League edition. The tournament kicks off this Tuesday, with Sporting entering the fray on Wednesday as they host Galatasaray at Alvalade (8:00 PM local time). From his €30 million transfer fee to his domestic and international achievements, and recalling the 27-year-old forward's time in Germany, the Lion is now setting his sights on titles in Portugal.

The conversation naturally begins with his club-record transfer fee – the €30 million Sporting paid to SC Braga. "I don't feel that as pressure. It shows confidence in me. When a club makes such a significant investment in a player, it means they believe in his abilities. In football, there's always pressure, regardless of the figures involved," states the Uruguayan international, quickly shifting focus to his Champions League expectations.

"Sporting had an extraordinary season. The expectation is to improve on what was already very good. I hope I can help repeat that journey and, if possible, go even further," he said when asked about Sporting's quarter-final appearance last season: "Sporting can win everything. We have a great team and, generally, a harmonious atmosphere. The club is like a family. But we also know that the fans' expectations are enormous. We have to fight for every title. At Sporting, that's always an obligation. We want to be champions, we want to win the cups, and we want to compete at the highest level in the Champions League."

Zalazar believes Sporting "can compete on equal terms with all opponents" and, in Portugal, he assures, "Sporting is the biggest." "Of course, I'm here now, but that was already my opinion before. In recent years, Sporting has been the club that has won the most titles in Portugal and, in my opinion, also the team that played the best football," Zalazar explains, detailing his choice of the green and whites despite also being linked with Benfica and FC Porto:

"When my agent told me about this possibility, I immediately said I wanted to come. I didn't even want to hear other offers. President Frederico Varandas was very direct with me and said: 'Rodri, we really want you.' That meant a lot to me. And then there's also my compatriot Maxi Araújo, for whom I have enormous respect. That also helped."

Now, every day Zalazar trains at the Academy named after CR7. "He is an inspiration. Every morning, when I come to training, I enter the facilities heading to the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy. It makes me proud to be at the club where one of the best players in history emerged. I hope to see him here one day; he would be very welcome," he wishes.

But before Alcochete, Zalazar had a stint in Germany. In 2022, he was promoted to the first division with Schalke; this season, he's playing with Sporting in the Champions League: what's that feeling like? "It was a beautiful and long journey. I am very happy and grateful for this experience, and I have immense affection for Germany. My wife is German, and one of my children was born there. It will always be a very special country for me and will have a permanent place in my heart."

And how did he experience Schalke's recent return to the Bundesliga? "I was very happy. Schalke is a club that deserves to play in the Bundesliga because of its history, its fans, the city, and the passion with which football is lived in Gelsenkirchen. This club gave a great boost to my career. Even today, I receive messages from the fans. This club will always have a place in my heart. I sincerely hope they can stay in the Bundesliga for many years."

His time at Schalke was in 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, but his German adventure began in 2020/2021 at St. Pauli, who have now been relegated. "I was sad. St. Pauli is a club that means a lot to me. It was the club that believed in me when I hadn't yet shown what I could do in football. Two people were decisive at that time: sporting director Andreas Bornemann and coach Timo Schultz. They were the ones who changed my career. I will be eternally grateful for that," Zalazar expresses.