Marcelino Nuñez sits in a quiet spot on deserted Portman Road, but he knows a very different scene awaits him when he crosses the border from Suffolk to Norfolk on Saturday. The man who crosses the watershed receives a warm welcome at Carrow Road.
Nunez completed a £10 million move in August, becoming the first player to move from Norwich to Ipswich since Andy Marshall in 2001. A few weeks later, he scored the goal that sealed the last East Anglia derby in favor of Norwich, helping Ipswich defeat their rivals for the first time in 16 years, winning 3-1.
“Ipswich hadn’t beaten Norwich for a long time so this was an important challenge and I helped extend that record even further,” he told Sky Sports. “It was a big challenge, but I was really happy that I managed to turn around and finish the race.”
That was evident from his celebration at Portman Road when he came off the bench to score the third goal against his former club that day and waved the corner flag in front of jubilant Ipswich fans.
Saturday, April 11th 11am
12:30pm kickoff
“It was a natural thing, it just came to me,” he said, looking at the offending corner flag from his seat in the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand. “In South America, when you win a big derby, you celebrate a lot, so a little bit of that South American side came out in me.
“It was an emotional and important day. The coach talked about the fact that we had been under pressure for 16 years without winning a derby. I was motivated to end that losing streak and thank God we managed to pull it off.”
“The Derby must be won and it must be celebrated.”
The events of the last meeting will add further spice to Saturday’s match, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. But Nunez is unfazed by the hostility that awaits him at Carrow Road. The Chilean international, who joined Norwich from Universidad Católica in 2022, feels he is well prepared.
“In South America, derbies and Clasicos are more intense and there’s more pressure,” he explains in his native Spanish. “I’ve been playing under pressure, so I think that’s working to my advantage.
Marcelino Nunez celebrates after helping Ipswich beat Norwich 3-1 in October
Marcelino Nunez assisted Jack Clarke’s third goal.
“I know it’s going to be a little more heated because of the fans and what happened with my transfer, but that gives me motivation. I’m excited to go into Saturday’s game.”
“When you’re on the pitch, you forget about your problems and everything that’s going on outside. You have to concentrate on the game, do your job well and always stay positive.”
I know there’s going to be a little more heat on me because of the fans and because of what happened with my transfer, but that’s what motivates me.
Marcelino Nuñez
“This game will be emotional. It’s said to be England’s biggest derby and it’s an important game for both sides.
“Our mentality, and my mentality, is to get the three points and win.”
Why he chose Ipswich
Norwich, who are in good form, will of course do everything in their power to avoid such a result. But for Ipswich, who are just one point behind third-placed Millwall with three games in hand, this is a chance to move one step closer to the Premier League.
Premier League ambitions were Nunez’s biggest attraction.
“My goals were very clear and that was to compete for the Championship, which is why I decided to move to Ipswich.
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Ipswich beat Birmingham in their last game to boost their chances of promotion
“The fans welcomed me incredibly well, even though I came from a rival background, and overall I’m very happy with the team and the manager.
“We are very united and also focused on the goal of getting promoted to the Premier League.”
The move, announced by a tap and wink of a badge in an Ipswich signing video, delighted fans of his new club but angered fans of his former club, sparking vitriol.
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Sky Sports Essential EFL Podcast analyzes Saturday’s match
But Nunez didn’t let that bother him. He insists he has no ill will towards Norwich. “They opened the door for me to play in Europe, so it was a very positive step in my career.” However, he felt he had a better chance of achieving his ambitions at Ipswich, managed by Kieran McKenna.
“It wasn’t a very complicated decision because my mentality was to win the championship. I was champion five times with my previous team in Chile and that was my mentality to win the title.”
My goal was clear: to compete for the Championship, which is why I decided to move to Ipswich.
Marcelino Nuñez
“That was also the case with coach McKenna. He’s been a great coach for me. I also saw that they had a lot of resources to establish themselves as a strong team and fight for promotion.”
Thriving under McKenna
Nunez has certainly played his part this season despite enduring some unfortunate injury interruptions. When available, the 26-year-old brings the same creativity, set-piece prowess, goal threat and energy to the number 10 role that he showed at Norwich.
Ipswich did much better with Marcelino Nunez starting.
You can see his importance by looking at their records with and without him. Ipswich won 70 percent of the games this season in the 20 games Nunez started, compared to just 32 percent in the 24 games he didn’t start.
“I’m just a small piece of the puzzle,” he says when confronted with the statistics. “I think everyone is important to the team, including those who play and those who are injured.
“I think as a group, we all transmit something positive. Whether we play or not, I try to stay positive, help those who play and those who don’t play, and always transmit something good.”
Nunez’s total of eight assists is matched by only a few players in the Championship, and he also scored three goals, including two free-kicks in a 4-1 win over QPR in November.
He credits McKenna’s influence.
“He’s been one of the best coaches I’ve had in my career so far,” he says. “He organizes the training sessions incredibly well, is very intelligent, knows how to keep the dressing room united and gives the players a lot of confidence.
“He puts you at ease without any pressure. You just do what he wants you to do. I also try to prepare in the best way in terms of training, recovery and diet. On a personal level, I’m relaxed.”
premier league dream
He is equally relaxed about Ipswich’s chances of promotion, with Norwich being the first and most anticipated of the remaining seven games in the Championship. He says reaching the Premier League would fulfill his childhood dream.
“I always dreamed of it, but I never imagined that going to England would happen so quickly and that I would be so close to the Premier League,” he says. “We just have to focus on each game because something incredible is happening and it’s coming up.
Marcelino Nunez is known for his set-piece skills and long-range shooting.
“It’s Norwich now and there’s extra pressure, but we’re motivated and we’re willing to play in the Premier League and take it step by step to achieve that. We have games left so it’s up to us.”
“When I look at this team, it’s a very solid group. I have very good team-mates and the manager is one of the best I’ve had in my career. I think with the team we have now we can reach the Premier League. I want to get a feel for it.”
But first, you have to feel the heat of Carrow Road.
Watch Norwich vs Ipswich live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event from 11am on Saturday. Kickoff 12:30pm
