Carlo Di Benedetto extends FC Porto stay: “I often wish I was here” | OneFootball

FC Porto’s rink hockey team confirmed this Monday the contract renewal of Carlo Di Benedetto for another four seasons, extending his stay until 2030.

Speaking to the Dragons’ media channels, the 29-year-old French forward, who has worn blue and white since 2019 and has scored 55 goals in 37 matches this season, expressed great satisfaction with the extension, referring to the club as his second home.

Read Di Benedetto’s full comments below:

Renewal: “I’m very happy and very proud to be able to stay here for another four years. The truth is that, by the end of the next four years, it will have been 11 years here, something I had never imagined. It’s something that makes me very proud, but it also brings even more responsibility, because I know this isn’t just renewing for the sake of renewing, it’s to keep winning titles. I’m very happy, but I know the responsibility this brings.”

Seventh season at the club: “This journey has been very good. There were more difficult moments, like adapting in the first year, although I was always treated very well. I felt very good right away with the team, the staff, with everyone. There were moments, especially during the pandemic, when I felt more alone, but I think I’ve grown throughout all these years, as a player and as a person. I think I changed physically, but also in terms of my game, I learned a lot throughout all these years. As a person, I arrived here at 23 and now I’m 29, so I think I’ve matured.”

Connection with Xavier Malián: “Since I left France, all I’ve known is playing rink hockey with Mali, nothing else. I think this is our tenth season together. To me, he’s like an older brother.”

Partnership with Gonçalo Alves: “There’s no hiding that we get along very well and on the rink we have a very strong connection. It’s very easy to play with him. He understands everything easily and sometimes all it takes is one look at each other. We don’t need to talk much.”

Feelings about FC Porto: “At the time I gave that speech at the Dragões de Ouro because it was what I felt. FC Porto isn’t a club where I just come to play rink hockey and that’s it. FC Porto is something you feel 24 hours a day, you feel it in the streets, across all the sports, and in football it goes without saying. That’s the beauty of this Club, the beauty of this city. At any moment of the day you can be out walking around and there will always be someone who reminds you what it means to be FC Porto. It makes me very proud to be part of all this.”

Dragão Arena: “Without a doubt it’s my second home, I spend many hours here. After the summer, I really missed being here, playing here, I can’t explain it. A lot of the time I’m at home wanting to be here and score goals in front of our fans. Playing here, scoring goals here and celebrating here is incredible. I love playing at the Dragão Arena.”

Fans: “The number of people who follow what we do is impressive. I remember that when I arrived, Guillem Cabestany was the coach, and he told me that as time went by people would recognize me in the street. At the time I didn’t believe it, but it’s very true. It makes us give more, because we know we’re not just playing for ourselves, we’re playing for many more people. There are a lot of people wanting us to win and celebrate titles with us. The greatness of our club and our fans can also be seen in this.”

First national championship title: “I remember the stands at the Dragão Arena were full, it was Game 5 against Benfica. We were very nervous before the match, I won’t deny it, but the arena was packed. I really want to experience all that again, it’s so much happiness.”

Ten titles with the dragon on his chest: “It’s very difficult to single one out, but there are two or three that are more special. The first league title, because fans were back in the stands and because it came in Game 5, was special. I also have to mention the Champions League, because it’s the title we all dream of winning. It had eluded FC Porto for many years and we knew how important it was, it was a very special title. The last one would be the title we won at Luz, because of the way it happened and also because of the season we had, because of the group. Winning a title at home is one thing, but away from home it’s even harder.”

On course for the highest-scoring season of his career: “The truth is that I feel very good. It’s very good to score goals, no doubt, especially for forwards, but I don’t step onto the rink thinking that if I score, my job is done. I believe I can bring much more to the team. Sometimes I can score three goals and not play well, just as I can fail to score and still have a good game. This year I feel very good and, like the team, I think I’ve grown throughout the season. I don’t know if I’ll be able to surpass 66 goals, but the objective is to keep winning and playing well.”

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