Transferring to a new country is never easy for footballers, and if they’re young ones having to leave their family for the first time, it’s that little bit harder.
For Leicester’s Raúl Uche, transferring from Rayo Vallecano meant ending up in a different culture, one where he didn’t know the language, having to rely on Leonardo Ulloa explaining what he had to do in training.
Speaking to Marca, he said: “The food is very different, it rains a lot and in the winter it’s dark at 4pm. Days are very short. The goal for the first year is just to acclimatise.”
The 19-year-old striker explained training once a week with the first-team was a ‘luxury’, but was a challenge he wasn’t scared of, even sharing jokes with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez on a regular basis.
Blocked from going on the club’s preseason tour last summer due to a shoulder injury, Uche fully expects to be on the plane come the end of the season, and maybe even participate before.
He explained: “To have my debut this year? They have a lot of forwards, but you never know. My style adapts well to the physical and direct game of the Premier League. I work to play alongside Vardy.”
Loving the fact the club are in the Champions League, the young Leicester forward was asked to give a prediction for the upcoming quarter-finals between his new side and Atlético Madrid.
He said: “On paper, Atlético are better and more experienced, but on the pitch, it’s different. Sevilla were also favourites and… If Leicester can hold on at the Calderón, they can do damage at home.”
With ‘nothing to lose’ and good form on their side since the dismissal of Claudio Ranieri, seeing Leicester City in the Champions League semi-finals is a real possibility.
Currently 7/2 to go through to the next stage, and 33/1 to lift the elite European trophy, we all know odds mean nothing at the King Power Stadium.
