Alfonso Pedraza held his first press conference as a Lazio player, insisting that the club should aim to return to European competitions.
The 30-year-old is a left-back who had been on Villarreal 's books since the start of his career, before opting to see out his contract and embark on a new experience. The Spaniard has been betrothed to Lazio since February , when he signed a pre-contract agreement.
Although he's been training alongside his new teammates over the past 10 days, the Biancocelesti have finally unveiled their first summer signing to the press on Thursday. Pedraza began by expressing his delight at joining the Biancocelesti, ensuring that the transition has been rather smooth (via La Lazio Siamo Noi ).
I'm very happy to join the Lazio family. From the very beginning, it was clear to me that this was the right choice. I'm delighted to be here and can't wait to get started.
When asked about the reasons that prompted him to choose Lazio, Pedraza mentioned his desire to experience football in a new country, while also citing his former Villarreal teammate Pepe Reina as one of the people who encouraged him to sign for the Aquile. The now-retired goalkeeper had represented Lazio between 2020 and 2022.
From the moment they first showed interest, I knew I wanted to join this club because I wanted to experience football in another country, and Italy was very appealing to me. The confidence the club showed in me was very important.Before coming here, I spoke to Pepe Reina, who is now a coach at Villarreal. I know [Boulaye] Dia well, and he spoke very highly of Lazio.
The Spaniard believes Lazio ought to aim for European spots, despite their challenging situation.
The ambition is always to aim as high as possible. We're at a great club, so the objective has to be qualifying for Europe. We want to be competitive and fight for silverware. Last season we reached a cup final, and we want to do that again.
Pedraza insisted that neither the ongoing fan protest against the hierarchy nor Maurizio Sarri's departure made him regret his choice to sign for Lazio.
I've only been here for about a month, so I haven't seen much of what's happening outside the club. I'm focused solely on giving 100% on the pitch.
Second thoughts? Not at all. I've remained very calm. Even when Sarri left, I was completely relaxed. A good coach came in, someone who knows me and has also worked in Spain (at Valencia ).Football is like that—players and coaches come and go, and you have to adapt quickly.
Finally, Pedraza noted it's up to Gattuso to choose between him and Nuno Tavares on the left flank.
(Laughs) That's a question for the coach. I'll always give my best in training, and then it'll be his decision who starts. This week has been very demanding physically.Right now, the manager wants us to play with intensity and attack according to each player's individual strengths.
