Rising Japan star Atsuto Uchida insisted on Monday that Schalke 04 will not be content unless their Champions League adventure takes them all the way to the final. The German side host English giants Manchester United in the first leg of their semi-final on Tuesday, having stunned holders Inter Milan 7-3 on aggregate in the previous round to progress to the last four for the first time ever. United are the favourites to reach the final at Wembley on May 28, but Uchida — who will become the first Japanese player to play in a Champions League semi-final — says that neither he nor his team-mates will be overawed.
“When I was in Japan, I watched many Man United games and I’m very happy now to be playing against them,” said the right-back, who joined Schalke from J-League outfit Kashima Antlers in June last year. “But I am a Schalke player and I love playing for this club. We don’t want to lose. Our ambition is to go to the final. I hope we will be in a good position after the first game.” The timing of Tuesday’s game, which kicks off at 2045 local time (1845GMT), means Uchida’s relatives in Japan will have to tune in in the middle of the night, and the 23-year-old spared a thought for his family back home.
“The time difference may be a problem for my parents,” he said. “It means they will have to get up very early! But the main thing is that I’m very happy to be here. It’s a great honour for me.” Schalke have endured a mixed domestic season and are currently 10th in the Bundesliga standings, but Uchida has proved an instant hit, quickly breaking into the first team and making 23 league appearances to date. He also played a prominent role in Japan’s Asian Cup triumph in Qatar in January and says he has no regrets about making the switch to Europe. “I feel great in Germany,” he said at Monday’s pre-game press conference.
“I have made many friends, I’ve adapted myself to the country and the team. I never suffer frome being alone. “I am very happy here and I think that translates to my game.”
