Augsburg record signing Pepi feels no pressure despite elusive debut goal
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Augsburg record signing Pepi feels no pressure despite elusive debut goal
BERLIN (Reuters) - Augsburg striker Ricardo Pepi said he felt no pressure despite having not scored in his first five Bundesliga matches after becoming the club s record signing following his transfer from FC Dallas in January.
Pepi, a U.S. international who turned 19 in January, joined the Bundesliga club for a reported Augsburg record of 17 million euros ($19.24 million) and is looking for his first goal, with his team in relegation trouble.
"I am still waiting for my first Bundesliga goal but I feel more comfortable each week and I have to stay patient," Pepi, among the brightest American prospects, told a media roundtable on Wednesday.
Augsburg moved quickly to secure his talents with several other clubs interested in the player.
"It was a situation out of nowhere. Augsburg talked to my agent and FC Dallas and came with an offer," he said.
The striker, who has Mexican parents, rose through the youth ranks in Dallas and made his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut as a 16-year-old.
He now needed to adapt to a quicker pace in the Bundesliga, he said.
"Obviously the speed of play and the technique is a little different here but every week I am adapting better and hopefully the goal will come and I will start doing some damage to other teams."
Young American players have increasingly targeted the Bundesliga for their first move to the big European leagues with fellow U.S. team mates Gio Reyna at Borussia Dortmund and Tyler Adams at RB Leipzig, among others.
Pepi said he had set himself high goals of playing in the Europa League and even the Champions League with Augsburg.
But first he needs to start scoring to help get Augsburg out of trouble. With only one win in their last eight league matches, the club are in 16th place and the relegation playoff spot.
"Moving from MLS there is pressure but I don t really feel the pressure. I work every day to become a better player and succeed in this league. There is no focus on relegation. We have to go day by day," he said.
Augsburg host Borussia Dortmund on Sunday and there will be no better time for Pepi to open his account, with his parents in the stands for the first time since his move to Germany.
