Nicolás Ladislao Fedor Flores, aka Miku, arrives at Bengaluru FC with indisputable pedigree. The Venezuelan striker brings with him the experience of over a hundred La Liga appearances, for Valencia, Getafe and Rayo Vallecano. Miku, who signed for BFC in August, is expected to be a vital cog in the wheel as the club prepares for its maiden ISL season. The 32-year-old spoke to the media here on Wednesday, discussing life in India, his career in Spain, and his on-field relationship with Sunil Chhetri.
The excerpts...
Why the ISL?
This league is growing. Some of the players who had played with or against me in La Liga recommended the ISL to me: Jaime Gavilan of Chennaiyin, Adrian Colunga of FC Goa, Rafa Lopez of FC Pune City, and Antonio Dovale (of BFC), who was with me at Rayo. Earlier, old players – retired stars – came here, but now more younger players want to compete. It's the fourth biggest league in the world (by attendance). So it's a great opportunity for me.
Understanding with Chhetri: Sunil is a top player. We have a good relationship. I need him and he needs me. He's easy to play with. I don't have to say anything. He looks at me and I look at him. He knows the way I think. We make the right movement. I know the ball is coming and I just run without looking because I know that he will send it to me.
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ISL: Bengaluru FC embarking on a new adventure
Settling in: It's hard because the culture is different. I am here alone. I am without my three daughters and wife. It's the worst thing. But everyone here has helped me with everything – like going to the bank or the supermarket. The Spaniards (as many as six in the BFC squad) are close to me. Juanan knows everything (about Bengaluru). He tells me where to find fish, meat or good coffee. He's a good support.
Style of play: I am a striker who likes to play for the team. I am a box striker but I can play outside too. Here, I see that each team has a physical defender. They like to fight body-to-body with you. I don't play body-to-body. Keeping a distance of 2-3 metres is easy for me.
Favourite moment: There are many; I played in the Champions League and Europa League. But two stand out. One was my La Liga debut for Valencia. That day was the result of 10 years of hard work. I played with David Silva, Juan Mata, David Villa and Joaquin. Then, there was a goal for Getafe in a 1-0 win over Sevilla (on April 16, 2011) that saved us from relegation.
Idols: When I was young, I had three heroes – a Venezuelan, Gabriel Miranda; Ronaldo – the old Ronaldo, the fat one; and Juan Roman Riquelme. He (Riquelme) was not fast, not strong at all. But he played with his brain. He was five seconds ahead of everyone.
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