Beşiktaş’s Portuguese striker from Werder Bremen Hugo Almedia held a press conference at the Antalya Gloria Hotel, where the Eagles train for season’s second half, and shared his thoughts:

“There is a strong competition going on for my position. I must give everything I’ve got during this preparation period to earn a starting spot. As I said before, I didn’t come here to sit on the bench. In fact, there are three other reasons why I came here. First of all, by joining Beşiktaş, I would be able to play in Europa League, something every player dreams of. Secondly, there were a lot of Portuguese players on the team which would speed up my adaptation process, and finally, Beşiktaş have been eyeing the UEFA title for quite some time. To be a part of a European champion would certainly boost my career. If we can’t win that title this year, we’ll be up and ready for it next season. We are not going to give up until we leave our mark in Europe and gain respect from everyone.
 
When it comes to the Turkish League, erasing the current 14 points deficit we now have with the leader is not impossible task in a three-point system. But we must make progress every other day and play each match as a final. The same goes for our Europea League fixtures. Unwavering concentration and hard work will inspire us in this direction.
Most critics in Europe brand Turkish football as being too aggressive, but in fact, by looking back at our recent match against Sivasspor, it is not the case. From my point of view, the responsibility for this false assumption lies with the referees. They are too soft and indecisive out there.  If they were a little bit tough on players and act decisive on the pitch, the roughness in Turkish would go away quickly. Then the quality of Turkish football would increase dramatically because there are a lot of good players and teams in Turkey. Trying to win the match at all costs, a player may sometimes forget everything and resort to some illegal tactics on the pitch. That’s where the good officiating comes in. The referee should keep him under control and remind him the rules at all times. If he goes unpunished for his actions, he will keep on repeating the same in his future matches. In our game against Sivasspor, I think the referee lost control in the second half as the match turned into a wrestling match.
Thanks to ever-growing attention from our fans and the press, I am enjoying the happiest days of my career here in Istanbul. This positive atmosphere and the help I’ve been getting from my teammates will definitely cut my adaptation period short, and I’ll be ready for the second half of the season sooner that I expect it. I cannot give you an exact number, but I hope to score 10 to 15 goals in the remaining League fixtures. But, of course, it is always easier said than done. I will have to work my hardest and need all the support I can get from my teammates and fans.
Before coming here, I received some alternate offers and a couple of them were equally attractive. But then for the reasons I stated earlier, I decided to pick Beşiktaş. Now, I see that I’ve made the right decision and delighted to be a part of Beşiktaş. I am also quite aware of the fans’ expectations so I am working my butt off to find a place in their hearts. 
I knew deep in his heart, Real Madrid Manager Mourinho wanted me to play for him, but I got no official offer from the Spanish the side. I must admit I owe a lot to Mourinho because without him, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. Therefore, he will always hold a special place in my career.
I am no stranger to playing as a single centre forward because Porto and Portuguese National Team often use the same system. Only at Werder Bremen, we had two forwards up front. I don’t care which position I am given as long as I go out there and score goals. That’s the main thing for me.  
Except Guti, I previously had a chance to play with Quaresma, Simao and Fernandes. Right now, we all adhere to a one common goal, which is to make Beşiktaş a better team. I have been following the Turkish national team at close range and know most of its players. They are all talented professionals so the second part of the season is not going to be an easy one for us. But we have no intention to give up the race until it is really over. By the way, I know Mesut Özil in person and admire him a lot. He deserves to be where he is at, and maybe we’ll share the same dressing room one day.       
Quaresma played a major role in my transfer to Beşiktaş. Before deciding to come here, I had a long conversation with him. He told me so many good things about his club that I was compelled to sign with Beşiktaş. I waited for a formal offer from Real Madrid. When it didn’t come through, I ended up here. Like every player has dreams, Real Madrid remains to be my dream. But when I set foot in Istanbul I saw that I made the right decision because Beşiktaş is no inferior to Real Madrid.
Here, I’d like to say few words about Simao. As a former captain of Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Portuguese National team, he is great leader on and off the pitch and will help this club accomplish what it needs to. After watching him couple of matches, you will agree with me that he is not a player to be taken lightly. With all these talented stars playing for us, we have no other place to go but up.  
 
I’ve heard of Fenerbahçe’s Alex but don’t know him in person. I am sure he is another great player like many others in this league, but right I am only concerned about my own team. If we want to be successful here, we must focus solely on Beşiktaş and not pay much attention to other teams because champions create and master their own destiny.”