Sarah Bouhaddi: 'I'm very proud to be Parisian'
The new Paris Saint-Germain recruit tells us the reasons behind her move to the capital club.
Welcome Sarah! How do you feel now that you're a Parisian?
I'm very happy. Quite a few people might be surprised, but I'm very happy to be here, to be part of an ambitious club on both the national and European stage. I'm very happy to be part of this project. I'm really looking forward to getting started, and when the coach gives me the chance, I'll be delighted to pull on this shirt.
What was your impression of Paris Saint-Germain before joining?
Of a young and very competitive team, a team I've often played against when I was at Olympique Lyonnais, and that I have seen change a lot. I'm very happy to be here.
You talk about how young the team is. Will your experience be something you'll look to contribute to the team?
Yes, that's right. I'm closer to the end of my career than the start, so of course I'll try and pass on the experience I've acquired throughout all these years. I've won quite a few trophies, so I know how to feed that winning culture on a daily basis. And I'll also bring my motivation. I'm competitive and I want to win every trophy. Together, we'll give ourselves the means to do that and little by little we'll build a team with the new technical staff.
Of course you know Gérard Prêcheur very well after playing and winning a lot with him at Lyon. Did his presence sway your decision?
Of course. Gérard's presence was one of the things that played a part. Gérard is one of the coaches I had in my youth. As a youngster, I kind of started football with him at 14. Being reunited with him at 35 is nice. I'm very happy to meet him again. And I've also been able to see the other members of staff, who have welcomed me very well.
And to finish, do you have a message for the fans?
Yes, I'd like to tell them that I'm very proud to be a Parisian today. So I'm going to give my all for you and this shirt. I'm a competitor. I'm fortunate to join Paris Saint-Germain, to wear this shirt, and I'll give everything to be able to meet expectations and make the fans happy.