Federico Chiesa: The first interview✍
Transcript
00:00How are you feeling now it's done and you are a Liverpool player?
00:20It's been so far a great day and I'm so happy to be a Liverpool player.
00:25When Richard Hughes called me and he said do you want to join Liverpool and the coach
00:30called me I said yes immediately because I know the history of this club, I know what
00:36it represents to the fan and so I'm so happy and I can't wait to get started.
00:44As you say it has happened quite quickly, from what you said there was it an easy decision
00:49to make?
00:50It was, it was for a lot of reasons and because I felt immediately that the people I talked
00:58to put a lot of faith and trust in me and that is what I wanted and so it's really great
01:07to be here, it's a dream come true for me to play for Liverpool and to play in the Premier
01:11League which is the best championship in the world.
01:15How were those last few days for you, for your family, for your wife, you know this
01:20move is coming, how are you feeling?
01:24Well we were all happy, I mean fortunately enough it was as I said before an easy decision
01:33because of Liverpool and everything and nothing, we enjoyed every bit and I still need to talk
01:41to my family because today was a really busy day but I'm grateful because my wife is here
01:49with me and she was amazing because as soon as I said Liverpool she said yes I'm coming
01:57with you, it's a fantastic opportunity for your career and for our family.
02:04As you say it's been a busy day today, what have your first impressions been since you
02:08landed in Liverpool, since you came to the training ground, since you met some of the
02:11staff?
02:12The people here are amazing and I felt a great empathy and I've already done a lot of tests
02:23but that is part of my job and I just want to say something that stuck to my mind, when
02:33I was about to land with the aeroplane I saw Anfield and as soon as I saw Anfield I said
02:41to my wife put the song on, you'll never walk alone because I want to imagine myself
02:47playing there and hearing the chant of the fan and this song so it was just a fun bit.
02:56How do you imagine that will feel when it happens for real?
03:02I will have chills, do you say this?
03:04Is it good to say?
03:05No chills, I just say shivers, we have shivers and it will be so emotional for me and for
03:14my family.
03:15You mentioned you had the chance to speak with the coach, Arne, what kind of things
03:19did he say to you about coming to Liverpool?
03:22He just told me about his football style, what he wants from me, what he wants from
03:29the team and I said to him that I'm coming to help the team and to help win trophies
03:37which is the most important thing and it's what the Liverpool fans want the most.
03:45Obviously you join a squad with a lot of good attacking options, how much are you looking
03:50forward to playing with those attackers and even competing with them for a place in the
03:54team?
03:55In Liverpool there's a lot of competition in every role because it's a big club, it's
04:07a top club, one of the best in the world so I know that I was coming here with a lot of
04:13competition in my role too because in front of me there are players like Salah, Luis Diaz,
04:19Cody Gakpo, Jota Nunez and I know what they're capable of but I know what I'm capable of
04:26too so I'm here to give my best and to give my best to the fans too.
04:33You're going to take the number 14 jersey at Liverpool, is that a number that has any
04:37significance to you?
04:38Yeah it has actually, it's the number I've been wearing with the national team but it
04:45was an easy pick because Liverpool sent me a video and at the end of this video I was
04:55showing my career, the goals I scored with Fiorentina, Juventus and at the end it was
05:00like me with the number 14 shirt on so I said ah, it was destined to be so I chose the number
05:0814.
05:09So you mentioned before you haven't played at Anfield, your dad has, I'd just like to
05:15show you something.
05:26I know this goal, I know this.
05:29They didn't tell me that he scored this at Anfield.
05:33It's at Anfield in Euro 96.
05:36Nice, he didn't tell me about this because usually when we speak about Euros he doesn't
05:42want to speak about that because I say that I won it and he hasn't won it so he always
05:50talks to me about the goals he scored and that he scored more than me and that I have
05:56to reach him and so that's what we talk about but he hasn't talked to me about that.
06:02Is it a little strange seeing that your dad scored at Anfield?
06:07Yes it is because I didn't know it was Anfield but we have a picture of him celebrating after
06:15he scored that goal but honestly I didn't know it was at Anfield so this is a great
06:22memory for my family, my father and so I think my father is happy for me to join Liverpool.
06:29Has he said anything to you about the move?
06:31He said go.
06:33As soon as he heard Liverpool he said go, it's the best choice for your career.
06:40Seeing what your dad did at Anfield, how much do you want to now do that for Liverpool?
06:47It would be nice to score on my debut but I'm here to enjoy my football, I'm here to
06:54win trophies, I'm here to help my teammates and the coach and as I said before to give
07:01my best.
07:02You said you're here to help, you're here to challenge for a place, how do you describe
07:07yourself as a player?
07:10I describe myself as a player who is very, very competitive, who wants more and I'm here
07:17because I want more for my career.
07:20What qualities do you think you can bring to the team?
07:22Intensity, technical qualities, 1v1s and also I hope to score and assist because that's
07:34what an attacking player has to do.
07:38Do you think those qualities complement the way Liverpool play, do they suit the way Liverpool
07:42play?
07:43I hope so, in the future I hope so yes but I came here because I think I can give something.
07:49Just in terms of your own fitness, where are you up to at the moment and how quickly
07:52are you looking to get started here?
07:55As soon as the coach tells me that I can play, I will play, no problem.
08:00And in terms of what you want to achieve now, you're here, you are a Liverpool player, it's
08:04a long-term deal, what are those goals and ambitions for the coming years?
08:08To win, to win trophies, as soon as I enter inside the centre and I looked up and I saw
08:14all the trophies and I want some of them in the near future.
08:20A little bit of inspiration?
08:21Yes, to see the Champions League and the Premier League over there was just amazing.
08:29We always end these interviews very simply, for the Liverpool fans watching this interview,
08:34what would your message be to them?
08:38See you at Anfield and you'll never work alone!
08:44We wish you all the best.
08:45Thank you very much.