Nunez: My Goal Was to Become a Champion, That's Why I Left Norwich for Ipswich

Marcelino Nunez sits in the quiet of an empty Portman Road, anticipating a vastly different scene when he crosses the border from Suffolk to Norfolk to face his former club, Norwich. Nunez became the first player since Andy Marshall in 2001 to make the switch from Norwich to Ipswich, completing a £10m move in August. A few weeks later, he helped Ipswich beat their rivals for the first time in 16 years with a 3-1 win, having previously scored the goal that settled the East Anglian derby in Norwich's favour. "It was a big task, but we managed to turn it around and end the run, and I was really happy about it," he tells Sky Sports. Nunez's celebrations that day, waving a corner flag in front of jubilant Ipswich fans after coming off the bench to set up the third goal against his old club, were spontaneous. "In South America, when you win a big derby, you celebrate a lot, and that South American side of me came out a bit," he says. The Chile international feels well-equipped to cope with the hostility that awaits him at Carrow Road, having played under pressure in South America. "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. I'm motivated to face the game on Saturday," he explains. Nunez is focused on helping Ipswich take another step closer to the Premier League, with the club a point behind Millwall in third place and having three games in hand. "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. We are very united and also focused on our objective, which is to get promoted to the Premier League," he says. Nunez did not hesitate over the move, insisting he bears no ill-will to Norwich but felt Ipswich offered a better chance of achieving his ambitions. "It wasn't a very complicated decision because my mentality is to become a champion. With my previous team in Chile, I became a champion five times, and that's my mindset, to win titles," he says. Nunez has played his part this season, bringing creativity, set-piece prowess, goal threat, and energy to the No 10 role. His importance can be seen in Ipswich's record with and without him, with a win rate of 70 per cent in the 20 games he has started this season compared to just 32 per cent in the 24 he hasn't. Nunez credits coach Kieran McKenna for his impact, saying, "He is one of the best coaches I've had in my career up until now. He organises the training sessions incredibly well, he's very intelligent, he knows how to keep the dressing room united, and he gives the players lots of confidence." Reaching the Premier League would allow Nunez to realise a childhood dream. "I always dreamt about it, but I never imagined going to England would happen so quickly and being a step away from the Premier League. It's something incredible that's happening, and it's close, so we just have to focus on each match," he says.