Atletico Madrid striker Jonathan David was interviewed by SportyTV. During the interview, he talked about how he adapted after joining Atletico Madrid, the differences between Spanish and Italian football, his relationship with his teammates, and also looked forward to the upcoming Madrid Derby.

Hello everyone, welcome to SportyTV's exclusive interview with Jonathan David. The Madrid Derby is coming soon. Jonathan, thank you very much for accepting our interview. We just talked about our Canadian connection. How have you been lately?

I'm good, very good. How about you?

I'm also good. It's really hot today. I actually asked Lookman about it earlier. I think whether it's in Canada or other places you've been, you must have experienced hot summers. How does the high temperature in Madrid compare to what you've experienced before?

It's really hot. It can sometimes be very, very hot in Turin, so it feels a bit similar. But the air in Madrid is still a bit different.

I think it's probably a drier heat here, right? At least that's how I feel.

Yes, that's right.

You've been here... I almost said over a month, but it's only been about two weeks. How have these first few weeks been? How does it feel to integrate into a new team and a new lineup?

Very good. Of course, I arrived on the last day of the transfer window, but it feels good to be here. I met everyone, including teammates and staff. Everyone was very welcoming and helped me quickly adapt to the environment and the team here, letting me know what I needed to do. I think these helped me a lot.

I guess you must have spoken Italian when you played for Juventus. How about Spanish? Have you learned a few words yet?

Actually, I knew a few words before, just the simple expressions that everyone basically knows. But although many people say that Italian and Spanish are very similar, I still feel that there are actually some differences between them.

Maybe for you, Italian is more similar to French?

Yes, I think so.

As I just said, I also talked to Lookman. He has been here for eight or nine months, and when it comes to Spanish, he said "poco a poco", little by little. Most people in the locker room obviously speak Spanish. How are you doing now with understanding these words and gradually mastering them? Especially when the coach gives you instructions before, after, and during halftime.

Sometimes someone helps me translate. Sometimes he can also communicate with me directly in Italian, because I can understand it. So now it's basically these two ways.

How is life in Madrid? Have you had a chance to explore the city? I guess you might have been too busy.

No, not yet. I've only driven through. When I drove through the city, I could see that it's a very beautiful city, and it's also a city that never sleeps. So I think I will definitely enjoy my time here.

The match this weekend can hardly be more important. You will face Real Madrid at home. First, have you talked to your teammates or club staff about what this match means for a club like Atletico Madrid? What does the Madrid Derby mean?

I haven't really talked about these in detail with anyone yet, but I know that this is one of the most important matches of the season, and also the most important match of the year. It's the Madrid Derby, so of course it's a very important match.

How does it feel for you personally? You seem to like scoring goals against Real Madrid, and you've had good experiences against them in the past. How does it feel to face Real Madrid again now?

It's always a pleasure to play against top teams. It will definitely be a tough match, but as a footballer, you will definitely enjoy playing in such a match.

And this time it's a bit different from last time. Your last time was against Real Madrid representing Lille, and you also scored against them in the Champions League. Now Mourinho is back in charge of Real Madrid, and there are players like Bellingham, Vini Jr., and Mbappé in the team. I also asked Lookman this question earlier. When you were a child and dreamed of becoming a professional player, wasn't this what you dreamed of? Playing against the best players in the world, playing in the most magnificent stadiums in the world, and participating in the top competitions.

Yes, what you just said is exactly it. As a footballer, you dream of playing in such matches and playing in such an environment. So for me, being a part of this match will be a pleasure.

From your personal perspective, you quickly got into form after coming here. I think it's hard to ask for a better start, unless you score a hat-trick every game. But as they say in Spanish, "poco a poco", step by step. Why do you think you got into form so quickly? Is this a personal characteristic of yours? Are you generally easier to adapt to new environments?

I don't know. I think everyone really made the process of integrating into the team very easy for me. And this is also a team that I enjoy playing for, because this team loves to play football. I also really like playing football, and I like the way we play now, including small-sided passing and dealing with the ball in tight spaces. So I enjoy the kind of football we play here.

If you compare it to the Italian football you experienced before, what differences do you find? What are the main differences between Spanish football and Italian football?

Italian football is more defensively oriented. I think sometimes the pace of the game is also a bit slower. More often it's like this: you attack, we defend, it might last for a few minutes, then both sides switch roles, and then you have to find a way to break through the opponent's defense. This also happens sometimes here, but I think the overall pace of the game is faster, and the transitions between attack and defense are also more frequent, and the game is more back and forth.

Let's look at the opponents you've encountered so quickly after coming here. Previously, you faced strong teams like Real Sociedad, and on Wednesday you played Osasuna at home, in front of your fans. You came here and immediately faced these matches, which feels a bit like being tested with high intensity from the start. For the matches you've played so far, has the coach clearly told you: "As my striker, I want you to do these things"?

Yes. The week I first came here, we had a chat right away. He just told me that he wanted to see the me he saw before at Lille, to be energetic, run deep often, and at the same time re-enjoy playing football. His demands on me were actually very simple.

As I just said, I just interviewed Lookman. What's it like playing with a player like him? I think you must have played against each other before, right? Or did you just miss each other? Because he went from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid.

No, I just missed him.

So what's it like playing with a player with such ability now?

Very good. Of course, I had seen him play at Atalanta before, and also after he came to Atletico Madrid. He is a very excellent player, and very capable. So for me, it's a pleasure to play with him.

We also talked about the speed that this team now has. For example, Lee Kang-in, it feels like he's the kind of player who can run non-stop for the whole game, and Giuliano Simeone is also this type. Do you ever look at them in the 85th or 90th minute of the game and think: "How can they still be running?"

Yes, yes, yes. I ask myself this question too. I think they must have a very good management system, otherwise how can they run so much. Maybe they can help me so that I can reach their level too.

I also asked Lookman to prepare a question for you earlier. His question is: "Why did you integrate into the team so quickly?" Why has everything gone so smoothly after only a few weeks here?

Because of these teammates, because of this team. Everyone really made everything after I came here very easy. Honestly, that's the best answer I can give.

Do you have any particularly good friends in the locker room now? Or is there anyone you are closest to?

Yes, I would say Lookman.

What do you usually talk about? Obviously, you have some things in common.

Actually, we talk about everything, there's no particular fixed topic.

I remember hearing an interview with Karim Adeyemi once, where he said he eats fufu, which is why he can run so fast. So what's Jonathan David's secret? Do you... eat a lot of vegetables? What's the secret?

No. I would say get a good night's sleep. There's actually no real secret. Train hard and get enough sleep.

Besides the competition we just talked about and this weekend's match, you've also experienced multi-front battles in Lille and Juventus, needing to compete for the league title and also participate in the Champions League. Atletico Madrid also went very far in various competitions last season, such as the Copa del Rey. The situation you faced at Juventus was very similar, but after coming to Atletico Madrid, do you feel that this team has a chance to go a little further in every competition?

They actually did very well last season, and they were very close to winning the championship. So I came here hoping to help them get a little closer. That's what I want to do.

Do you ever occasionally stop and think about your childhood? Think about that little boy who grew up in Ottawa, and then all these years later, you are now playing for Atletico Madrid, and you are about to participate in the Madrid Derby. If five or six-year-old Jonathan David knew all this would happen, what do you think he would say?

I think he might be speechless. He would probably just keep smiling, because these are the moments he imagined as a child. I think it's a blessing to actually be in the position you dreamed of as a child. So you can't take all this for granted, but enjoy it and seize every opportunity you get.

Since you came here, have any friends or family come with you? Or are they still...

No. Currently, only my fiancée and I are here. Of course, my family is still in Canada. They will come to see me whenever they have the chance during the season.

I also find it hard to imagine you getting any real rest lately. After this summer, and moving from Italy to Spain. Do you have time to unpack all your boxes yet?

No, no, not completely unpacked yet. I've started to organize them slowly, but I'm not finished yet. I think I just moved in a few days ago. Once everything is settled and all the boxes are unpacked, it will be fine.

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