Nelson Monte presented as a Córdoba player: “Bad moments pass…”

Córdoba CF closed its presentation stage with Nelson Monte, the Portuguese centre-back who arrives on loan from Almería. As Fernández Monterrubio revealed, the deal has no buy option, and the player said he lands at El Arcángel “with a huge amount of excitement and desire to play for a club with historic weight in Spain,” in his own words.

Left or right

Monte made it clear he can adapt in the back line: “I can play both on the left and on the right; I’ve always done it and I’m comfortable in both places.” He also spoke about how he fits Iván Ania’s system. He said that when he faced Córdoba in the past, he doesn’t remember games where they didn’t suffer because “it demands a lot,” especially defensively. Still, he feels comfortable with the club’s approach—building from the back, a high line and defending in pairs.

Pressure and the group

Asked about the pressure of wearing the Córdoba shirt, Monte said he’s used to it, pointing to his time in Málaga and last season in Almería, where the goal of promotion came with constant demand. After “two weeks” at the club, he believes the squad is “ready for Segunda División,” praising not only quality and ambition but also team spirit: “a lot of human quality.” “I’ve got a lot of desire to debut at home,” he added.

At the event, Juanito and Fernández Monterrubio highlighted his experience in the category, and Iván Ania even jokingly called him the “father” of the defence during his Málaga days. Monte replied that “the brother older” might be the better nickname, while adding that he can help in tough stretches—bringing calm and experience. As he put it, “these bad moments will pass with more work.”

He also described how hectic the final market hours were—“a real chaos” for him and his wife—explaining that, when you’re alone, it’s easier to pack your bag, but here the move involved his whole family. Even so, the decision came quickly, and now he’s arriving “with huge excitement and desire to play and add points on the pitch,” Sport said.