MONTEVIDEO, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Veteran striker Diego Costa said Thursday that he feels no pressure to replicate the success of Luis Suarez as he prepares to make his debut for the Brazilian Serie A club.
The 35-year-old joined Gremio as a free agent last week, having parted ways with Botafogo in December.
The Porto Alegre side will hope that he can fill the void left by Suarez, who scored 26 goals in 53 appearances for the club before leaving to join Inter Miami in December.
"If I score more goals than Suarez, they will have to pay me more," Costa quipped at a press conference.
The naturalized Spanish striker, who agreed to a contract that runs until December, is expected to make his first appearance for Gremio in Saturday's home clash with Santa Cruz.
And he is not worried about the high expectations placed on him by Gremio's fans.
"It's not a burden. Great forwards have always passed through Gremio, not just Suarez," Costa said. "This club has a very rich history in relation to having top-level forwards.
"Knowing how great Suarez is, there is no possible comparison. He is a great player and had a wonderful season [in 2023]," he added.
Costa, who was born in Brazil but became a Spanish citizen in 2013 and represented La Roja in two World Cups, scored three goals in 15 games during a disappointing six-month spell with Botafogo.
He has also played for Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Celta Vigo, among other clubs, during an 18-year professional career. ■
