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Mendieta promises to fight to the death in Sundowns colours
'I'm going to take this club with me and I'm going to defend it to the death as if it were my family,' he vowed.
Junior Mendieta is determined to give his all for Mamelodi Sundowns. Picture: Sundowns/Twitter
Mamelodi Sundowns new signing Junior Mendieta has vowed to defend the club’s jersey to the bitter end following the blockbuster move to The Brazilians from fellow DStv Premiership side Stellenbosch FC.
The Argentine spent three seasons with Stellies where he scored 15 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions. It didn’t come as a surprise that the Chloorkop-based side opened their cheque book to capture the exciting Mendieta.
Speaking on the Sundowns Pitchside Podcast, the 30-year-old expressed delight at joining the star-studded club.
“Personally, I want to win a trophy with Sundowns. I want to keep doing what I’ve been doing with Stellenbosch and to get the best out of me at Sundowns,” he said
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐚 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐎𝐖!🎙
🎙Prepare to be captivated by the extraordinary journey of Junior Mendieta, from humble beginnings to becoming a true force on the field ⚽🔥
SUBSCRIBE to Mamelodi Sundowns TV on YouTube… pic.twitter.com/TnvwlY2NcL— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) July 13, 2023
“I know I can do it and it will help me grow as a professional, match the level of my teammates and also be part of the group that wants to be African champions. I want to remain humble and work hard, it’s the only way to achieve it.
“I usually adapt well because I’ve played in many positions. I like to have more than a free role on the field, I can play on the left, right, middle or at the top because I trust myself a lot. If the coach needs me in other places, it’s fine with me.”
Meeting the fans
The skilful midfielder was taken to the champions’ spiritual home of Mamelodi Township in Tshwane to meet the Downs faithful before he was officially unveiled.
“I’m going to give my all. I’m going to take this club with me and I’m going to defend it to the death as if it were my family,” he vowed.
“I want to show them my passion and desire to be part of this club so that they can accept me in the best possible way. I’m here to help and put my heart into it. They saw me and felt I’m one of them.”
Mendieta got the stamp of approval from club legend Hlompho Kekana ahead of the new season.
“He’s a very talented footballer. We saw him at Stellenbosch and now that he’s playing with the best players on the continent,” Kekana said
“I think we will see how he adapts and plays within the structure. I’ve got no doubt that he’s a good player. I’m hope he hits the ground running like he did at Stellenbosch with little pressure and I hope he continues his form from last season.”
