Irankunda’s Benfica claim gets Circati reply: “Not a question, mate” | OneFootball

Alessandro Circati was the player chosen to speak to journalists this Sunday, on the sidelines of the Australia national team training camp, and he did not escape questions about his move from Parma to Benfica. The centre-back arrived at Luz in the last transfer window in a deal worth around €17 million.

The Australia international recalled the process that led to the transfer and revealed that it all happened after a holiday period following the World Cup. “I was with my friends from Perth, in Europe, and then there were a lot of talks. I’m sure you saw it all, with lots of discussions like ‘Maybe this, maybe that’, about only leaving if other players left...”, he began by explaining.

Circati also said that he received confirmation of the move unexpectedly. “I was in the car, driving back from the beach to Parma, and I got a phone call saying: ‘I think this week we’re going to have to move to Lisbon’, obviously if I wanted to. They really wanted me. The coach wanted me, and the president, Rui Costa, did too,” he added.

However, the conversation took on a lighter tone when he was asked about Nestory Irankunda, his national team teammate and a Sporting player, who recently said that the Lions are “the biggest club in Portugal”. Asked which of the two clubs “rules” the country, Circati did not hesitate: “That’s not even a question, mate. Benfica are the biggest.”

The centre-back then explained that the rivalry with Irankunda is healthy. “Nestory and I are very close friends. Now that we’re in the same city and are rivals, it hits a bit closer to the heart. It’s friendly banter and obviously we want to beat each other. That’s all it is,” he concluded, laughing.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.