Young defender Pedro Pereira claims Eder and Luis Muriel make for a 'great school' at Sampdoria.

The 17-year-old Portuguese enjoyed a meteoric rise with the Blucerchiati, as he was supposed to remain with the youth team, but has already collected five games with the senior squad.

“The day of my first game the only thing that counted was that the team needed me, and I was ready to give them everything to help,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I was very excited, but I had no fear, though I faced some real champions.

Young defender Pedro Pereira claims Eder and Luis Muriel make for a 'great school' at Sampdoria.

The 17-year-old Portuguese enjoyed a meteoric rise with the Blucerchiati, as he was supposed to remain with the youth team, but has already collected five games with the senior squad.

“The day of my first game the only thing that counted was that the team needed me, and I was ready to give them everything to help,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I was very excited, but I had no fear, though I faced some real champions.

“I train every day with Muriel and Eder, and it's hard to find opponents any more dangerous than that.

“I focus on speed a lot and I try to catch up with them in training. It's a great school.”

Pereira is now a starter for Sampdoria, at least until the return of Mattia Cassani and Lorenzo De Silvestri from injury.

“It was a surprise. [Coach Walter] Zenga spoke to me in English to make things easier.

“My comrades were always ready to help me by showing me how exercises were done when I didn't understand.

“Here everything is done at a different pace, and above all else you learn how to defend. This is good, because it's exactly what I wanted.

“My inspiration is Danilo, the Brazilian defender who just came to Real Madrid.

“As for my former club Benfica, I chose what was best for me and the events proved me right.

“I dream of the national team, just like everybody else. But there will be time for that.

“And there are other great players in my role, even among the young promises, such as Valencia's Joao Cancelo Benfica's [Nelson] Semedo.

“But someday, perhaps, if I keep getting lucky…”

Byandrea

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