Joao Mario: "I'd like to stay at Lokomotiv. I'm here to play."

After Inter spent 40 million euro to acquire him in the summer of 2016, Joao Mario now finds himself with Lokomotiv Moscow on loan with a right to purchase. The player spoke on his experiences with Sport24.

"My decision was quick, also because I knew the nerazzurri's intentions toward me. I was looking for a team that was playing in Champions League that may be interested in me, these were the only two conditions. I wanted to play to get a call-up for Euro 2020, for this it didn't make sense to leave and just stay on the bench."

"I am happy that Lokomotiv has given me this possibility, playing in Champions was something unforgettable. It's unfortunate that Europa League qualification was missed, now in March we'll come back to give everything to bring the club to Champions League next year. I'd prefer to remain at Lokomotiv instead of Inter. I like both the squad and city, but you never know how things may go in football. I hope that the Russian club renews my deal."

"Why wasn't I able to make an impact in Italy? Serie A is the most complicated league to play in. The Premier League is difficult due to the aggressiveness, but you quickly get used to it. In Italy, though, it takes a long time to learn all the tactics that are applied. Everything is different in Russia, there are five or six teams that are challenging for the title. It's a great league, but not comparable to Serie A or the Premier League."