Nunez: My Goal Is to Become a Champion with Ipswich

Marcelino Nunez is preparing for a hostile reception when he returns to his former club, Norwich, with his new team, Ipswich, on Saturday. The Chile international made the switch from Norwich to Ipswich in August for £10m, becoming the first player to make the move since Andy Marshall in 2001. Nunez has already made an impact, helping Ipswich beat their rivals for the first time in 16 years with a 3-1 win. 'It was an important challenge because Ipswich hadn't beaten Norwich in so long, and I had helped to extend that run even further,' he says. 'It was a big task, but we managed to turn it around and end the run, and I was really happy about it.' Nunez's celebrations after the win, which included waving a corner flag in front of jubilant Ipswich fans, were a natural release of emotion. 'It just came to me spontaneously,' he explains. 'In South America, when you win a big derby, you celebrate a lot, and that South American side of me came out a bit.' The 26-year-old is unfazed by the hostility that awaits him at Carrow Road, feeling that his experience of playing in intense derbies in South America will help him cope. 'I know there is going to be a bit more heat on me because of the fans and because of what happened with my transfer, but it motivates me,' he says. 'I'm motivated to face the game on Saturday.' Nunez's move to Ipswich was driven by his ambition to become a champion, and he believes that the club has the resources and the coach to achieve promotion to the Premier League. 'I was very clear about my goal, which was to fight for the championship, so that's why I made the decision to move to Ipswich,' he says. 'The fans welcomed me incredibly well, even though I came from a rival, and overall I'm very happy with the team and with the manager.' With Ipswich just a point behind Millwall in third place and having three games in hand, Nunez is confident that the team can take another step closer to the Premier League with a win over Norwich. 'Our mentality, and my mentality, is to take three points and win,' he says. 'We are very united and also focused on our objective, which is to get promoted to the Premier League.'