Fernandinho hopes Man City will help his World Cup dream
Saturday, 13 July 2013 00:00
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Reuters: Brazil midfielder Fernandinho is hoping to catch the eye of his national team manager before next year’s World Cup on home soil by shining for his new club Manchester City.
The pacy 28-year-old joined the Premier League club from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk last month for what British media have widely reported to be about 30 million pounds and is keen to prove he is worth every penny.
“It was very important for me (to be City’s top close season target) and I want to repay the club for what they have done for me by playing well on the pitch and winning as many matches and as many trophies as possible,” he told a news conference on Wednesday.
“My first aim is to play well for my club Manchester City and if I do have good performances I’m sure that I will catch the attention of the national manager.”
Fernandinho, who has five international caps, was not in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Brazil squad for last month’s Confederations Cup which the hosts won with a 3-0 victory over Spain in the final.
He is known in England for scoring in Shakhtar’s 2-1 win at home to Chelsea in the Champions League group stage last season.
Fernandinho started his career with Atletico Paranaense in his homeland before becoming one of a host of talented Brazilians to head for Shakhtar with whom he spent the last eight seasons and won the 2009 UEFA Cup.
He expects a few differences now he is playing in England.
“The main challenge for me is the different style of play compared with my last team and also the amount of games you play throughout the season,” said Fernandinho, sitting next to his new manager Manuel Pellegrini but, unlike the Chilean, speaking through an interpreter.
“It’s much more than I was used to.”
