Samuel Eto’o: We are striving to be like Barcelona, not Manchester City

Anzhi Makhachkala forward Samuel Eto’o said the Russian club Makhachkala follow the example of Barcelona, rather than of Manchester City.

«I am really adventurous, that’s something that you need to know about me,» Eto’o said. «I left Cameroon when I was 13 years old and I’ve lived more in Europe than Africa. The question for me in the summer was whether I should stay at the club where I would be playing or if I should look for a new opportunity and look to the future. I asked myself as well whether I could give faith and hope to a region, and really create something.»

«We are striving to be like Barcelona, they are the inspiration. Barcelona are the reference point in football today, not Manchester City. It is a matter of opinion whether City provide the closest parallel to Anzhi … money should not be the reason to compare these clubs. The goal at Anzhi is to achieve something from a region that has not been explored and to bring this team, through a nice football philosophy, to a better standing in the world of football. And that is it,» Eto’o said to The Guardian.