15 February 2017
Passion, sacrifice and determination, three characteristics that have already defined Tomas Rincon's first month and a half as a Juventus player.
As discovered by Jtv's Claudio Zuliani today, those three values have been serving El General very well indeed for the past ten years, taking the Venezuelan skipper from his native South America all the way to Juventus Stadium via Hamburg and Genoa.
From early days back home and defining experiences in the Bundesliga to the "unforgettable" first match at the Stadium, here are some of the key quotes from Rincon's interview:
FROM BOY TO GENERAL
"I only played for my local side in Venezuela for six months; by the age of 20 I was already in Germany. An amazing opportunity came up in Hamburg and the experience I gained there was invaluable, learning the German mentality and the European style.
"I delved into Italian football with Genoa, a club to whom I will always be grateful. My journey to this point has been long and full of sacrifices which makes me being here now all the more satisfying."
THE NICKNAME
"I don't know exactly who first coined my nickname, I think it came from when I was in Germany. A few journalists said to me that I played with such determination and gesticulated to my team-mates in a very distinctive way! Either way, I don't mind it as a nickname.
SACRIFICE
"It's taken a lot of hard work to get where I am today. I've always believed that should you play the way you live your life and vice versa. If you have the desire to always improve yourself off the field, you'll see the results immediately on it."
STRENGTHS
"Regaining possession, being quick and strong in transition, playing with intensity and picking the right the pass when I get forward, just like I did for Higuain against Crotone."
CURRENT FORM
"We're in good form and we're ready for the Champions League. This new system gives greater balance to the midfield and defence as a result of the hard work the forwards put in to get back and cover. We're coming off the back of a great January and we want to keep that momentum going into February and March."
JUVE IS…
"A family. Everyone looks out for you and the setup is perfect for just focusing on winning. You feel part of something special here. When I arrived here everyone from the president to the coach to Pavel Nedved were straight on the phone to congratulate me and give me some excellent advice.
"Being at Juventus Stadium for the first time was unforgettable. The atmosphere is remarkable; it's not a coincidence that Juventus always win at home."
