Goals help Owen feel more part of the team at Real
Michael Owen says scoring three goals in three games for Real Madrid has been the perfect way to help him settle at his new club.
Michael Owen says scoring three goals in three games for Real Madrid has been the perfect way to help him settle at his new club.
"It was nice to score the three goals and it makes you feel more part of the team," the England striker told a news conference in Madrid on Friday.
"I had a difficult start, but I expected that. I still have the language barrier but other than that everything seems to be settling down the way I'd hoped it would."
The former Liverpool striker, who joined Real for 12 million euros in August, scored his first goal after seven appearances for his new club when he grabbed the winner in last week's 1-0 victory over Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League.
He repeated the trick in the 1-0 win over last season's champions Valencia last weekend and took his tally to three with a goal in Real's 2-1 win over Leganes in the King's Cup on Tuesday.
"I'd like the run to continue," he said. "But I'd also like the run to continue with the team. We're winning games now and we're playing a little bit better step by step, so if my goals can help that then great, but the team is the important thing."
The 24-year-old believes that he still has plenty of room for improvement at Real and says he is determined not to rest on his laurels.
"I certainly believe I can show more for the team. Just because I've scored a few goals it doesn't mean that you're playing to the best of your ability so obviously I'd like to keep improving. It's a massive challenge for me."
"Lots of people doubted what I was doing when I came Â… but hopefully I've shown in the last couple of games that I can play football a little bit and I'm feeling very happy about the move. I always knew it would be successful."
"Hopefully there are plenty more years, games and seasons ahead of me so that I can show what a good player I am."
The England striker said he had been made to feel welcome by his team mates and that he was slowly getting to grips with the new language.
"Estoy mejorando mi Espanyol poquito a poco. (My Spanish is improving bit by bit)," he said. "By the next time I'm in here (doing a news conference) I'll make sure I've learnt another line for you."
Real, who are in seventh place in the Primera Liga and nine points behind leaders Barcelona, play near neighbours Getafe on Sunday at the Bernabeu.