Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura protested against his "Galactico"
billing after his arrival in Spain sparked a chaotic airport crush
among Espanyol fans.
Hundreds of fans greeted the midfielder as he swept into
Barcelona for a medical on Saturday while Spanish media compared
him to new Real Madrid signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
"I'm not a star," the 31-year-old told Sunday's Japanese media.
"I will have to work twice as hard as everyone else at the club and
be prepared to put in a defensive shift.
"It's not easy to make an impact in Spanish football. I'll be
trying hard to establish myself step by step."
Nakamura joined Espanyol on a two-year deal from Scotland's
Celtic last month after winning three Scottish Premier League
titles at Parkhead.
He opted for Espanyol after snubbing a return to his boyhood
J-League club Yokohama F-Marinos.
The former Scottish player of the year will instead make his
home debut against the likes of Ronaldo and Kaka when Real Madrid
visit Espanyol in the second week of the La Liga season.
soccernet.