Real Madrid new boy Mateo Kovacic has claimed that “it's an honour to work under one of the best Coaches in the world” in Rafa Benitez.
Giving his first interview as a Madrid player, the former Inter midfielder also touched on his ambitions in the Spanish capital, the presence of countryman Luka Modric and the prospect of the Santiago Bernabeu becoming his home.
“First of all I want to adapt to the team and learn as much as I can from my team-mates,” he told the club's official website.
“Real Madrid are a club used to winning trophies and I want to lift as many as possible.
“For me it's all one big surprise: the organisation of the club and all the great people I've met so far. I already feel at home. I've felt at home since my first day here.
“It's always difficult to talk about yourself and I don't like talking about myself. You'll have the answer after I've played my first match.
“I learned a lot and not just about football, I matured a lot. Two and a half years have gone by and I'm grateful to everyone at Inter.
“I had a marvellous time there. A new challenge has now presented itself at Real Madrid and I'm fully focused on my new team.
“[Benitez] is a great Coach, he has won loads of trophies and for me it's an honour to work under one of the best Coaches in the world.
“I've played against his teams a number of times and he deserves to be at the helm of a team like Real Madrid.
“Having the support of a player like Luka Modric is really important for me.
“He has been here for two or three years now and I'm sure that he'll be able to teach me a lot. I hope that we can play together for many years.
“I'm still very young. I'm sure that I'll learn a lot from my team-mates in the dressing room, as I still have room for improvement.
“I hope to be able to show out on the pitch all that I'm capable of producing. There'll also be difficult moments, no doubt.
“There are terrific players in this team and my task now is to show how good I am.
“[On the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy] I wasn't at the stadium. I watched it on television and I saw that the Bernabeu is always a full house, with a great atmosphere in the stands. I really want to experience that in the ground.
“It's one of the best stadiums in the world, with the best team in the world, and I'll play there very soon. It's a huge honour. I hope that I can give the Real Madrid fans plenty to shout about.
“Many thanks to everyone for all the support that I've received. I hope that we can share in many great times together. Hala Madrid!”
