Are you satisfied with the reception you've had?
Of course. It's been a beautiful day; I actually didn't expect so many people to be at the stadium. They've given me an incredible welcome and I am very grateful for that. I hope to pay them back with hard work and excitement.

Do you think some of your former Valencia team-mates may yet join Real Madrid?
There's been much talk of Villa, but I have no idea. As a friend and team-mate I wish him all the best. I'm sure he'll do a good job wherever he plays.

You'll wear the number '18' shirt, which used to belong to your team-mate on the national team Ruben de la Red. Is this in support of him?
Ruben is a very good friend of mine. We've coincided on the national team and its youth categories. I feel honored to wear his shirt number. I'm sure he will recover, and when he does, I will be delighted to give it back to him because it truly belongs to him. I will defend his shirt as best as I can this year.

You kissed the crest. Would you define yourself as a Madridista?
I will devote myself to this club, as the true professional that I am. I didn't expect to be welcomed this way and it felt great.

How's your first day at Real Madrid been like?
It's been incredible. I will never forget it. I want to send a kiss to my mother because I know she's watching. The entire family is delighted with my signing.

You already know some of your new team-mates. Are you  anxious to play with Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo?
It is an honour to play with two world-class players, but it is also an honour to play with the rest. I'm dying to meet them all and I am anxious for the season to start because we are all very excited about this project.

Was it hard to decide to sign for Real Madrid?
As a Valencia native it was hard to leave that club, but I knew what I wanted if I ever had to leave. I am very grateful for Real Madrid's interest in me and I now have to pay them back.

You  are the second Spanish signing. Does that add more responsibility to your work?
No. Responsibility is good and must be dealt with. We have to work with excitement and drive. I want to improve and help the team as much as I can. I hope the season turns out to be good both on an individual and a collective level.

You will play with Pepe in defence...
Pepe is a great defender. He is very strong and he is one of the best centre backs in the world. I am delighted to have such team-mates.

How do you feel?
This is very special. It's been my first-ever presentation and I think what they've done for me is amazing. It's hard to explain what you feel at such a time. I want to thank everyone again and stress that I will work very hard to live up to their expectations.

Would you recommend the Club to sign other former team-mates of yours?
I would naturally love team-mates of mine from the national team to join the squad. It would be natural for me to feel happy if any one of them did. But it's not up to me to decide. Real Madrid have a great squad and I believe they will achieve their goals.

Did you ever dream of playing for Real Madrid as a child?
I've had several dreams throughout my career. I think every child who wants to become a player dreams about playing for the greatest clubs, and Real Madrid is one of them. I also dreamt of playing for Valencia and I am grateful because I also saw that dream come true.

Which coach are you especially grateful to?
Quique Sanchez Flores and Fran Escriva had great faith in me after my accident. I didn't know if would be able to play at the same level again, but they had confidence in me. It was an important step for me and I am here today thanks to that. I am very grateful for the help I received in those days. 


JORGE VALDANO 
Platini said today that he doesn't like what Real Madrid is doing and that he wants to change certain regulations.
Real Madrid is capable of generating a lot of money because it has quality players. This efficiency has been proven in the past and we want  to keep it up. We can't simply aspire to achieve medium success; we must aspire to leadership and in order to reach it we must have world-class players.

Will Albiol be the team's only Spanish signing this year?
We want to sign other Spanish players and we hope the agreements run as smoothly as Albiol's.

Did you expect to sign so many players so soon?
We started working on some of them before Florentino Perez announced his candidacy, so we aren't suurprised. We will take things slower now and I wouldn't be surprised if some signings end up being sealed right at the end of the transfer window.

Is it your goal to strengthen the defence?
We want to strengthen the team where we think it can be improved. We will sign players both to cover starting positions and to build a competitive squad.

How true are the rumours that say Ruud van Nistelrooy may sign for Olympique Lyonnais?
We are open to negotiations concerning many players, but they will all depend on the offers we receive.