Zabaleta on the rise with City

No team have hit the headlines quite like Manchester City FC in recent weeks. Their audacious bid to sign Kaká was just one transfer story to dominate the back pages, with City also linked with the likes of David Villa, Thierry Henry and Gianluigi Buffon as the club's new owners look to flex their financial muscle.

Excitement
For fans and players alike it has been a tumultuous season, in ways the 24-year-old right-back Pablo Zabaleta could not have envisaged when he joined from RCD Espanyol last summer. The surprise arrival of Robinho on transfer-deadline day ensured that eyes would be drawn to the blue half of Manchester as much as the red this term, and Zabaleta believes it is only a matter of time before City start challenging at the top end of the table.

'Waking beast'
"Today you can compare Manchester City to a beast that is about to wake up," the Argentinian international said. "Manchester City are a club full of history, but maybe they did not push hard enough and year after year Manchester United overshadowed them. Now City have the opportunity to grow, with new investors bringing money to the club. Their project is about taking the club to the top of the Premier League so they can also achieve important things at a European level. I think Manchester City are taking an important step forward at this particular moment."

Winning goal
Zabaleta could not have chosen a more opportune moment to score his first goal for the Eastlands outfit than in the 1-0 home win against Wigan Athletic FC on 17 January. It was just City's second victory in ten matches in all competitions, lifting them to eleventh in the Premier League, four points off the relegation zone – and bottom spot – in an incredibly tight lower half of the table. With so many possible signings, it was a timely reminder to manager Mark Hughes.

'Exam'
"Yes, it is difficult, and sometimes you can feel uncomfortable because there is speculation about lots of players, but today is today and we are the ones playing, so to gain confidence we should talk about the players who are here right now. Every game in the Premier League is like an exam for all of us in the team, because the club have a lot of money available to sign big stars. Everyone here knows that if you come and want to stay for many years at Manchester City, you have to take it game by game and show Mr Hughes that you believe in this project, that you are ambitious and that you like being here."

'Important step'
The former CA San Lorenzo de Almagro defender has been doing precisely that. "I'm enjoying it. I always wanted to come here and play in the Premiership. This league has always attracted me, because of the way football is played, the competitiveness, the professionalism and the hard work. So when I received the offer from Manchester City, I did not hesitate to tell them I would love to come to England, and here I am. I'm happy, because I believe it represents an important step in my career. Today, the English Premier League is one level above all the other leagues in Europe. Step by step, I am starting to get used to the surroundings and the way of life here in England."

Espanyol feat
Zabaleta has been capped seven times by Argentina and also brings valuable European experience to City as they prepare for the resumption of their UEFA Cup campaign next month. He was in the Espanyol side that reached the final of that competition in 2007 and is keen to repeat the feat with his new team. "At the start of that campaign, nobody could have imagined we would reach the final, but with modesty and hard work we made UEFA Cup history, because we didn't lose a single game in that season – and we got through at the expense of great teams like Ajax, Benfica and Werder Bremen.

Glasgow return
"I recently returned to Glasgow [where the final against Sevilla FC was played] to watch Argentina play Scotland," he continued. "I went with a friend and, to be honest, I didn't know which stadium we were going to, but when we parked the car I soon realised I was returning to the same ground [Hampden Park] where I lost that final. But, more than anything, those are good memories that I will always cherish."

To watch this interview in the latest edition of the uefa.com Magazine, click here.