Having been sent on loan to Spain from Arsenal, 22-year-old Estonian goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein helped his new club Real Valladolid earn three points on Minday in their first game of the season.

After the match, Hein said that being the first Estonian to play in Spain's La Liga means a lot to him, but that he does not feel any additional pressure. "When you're already here, why be nervous or stressed in that moment? I enjoyed every moment of it and it was a really great night," he said.

Valladolid dictated the tempo of the game in the first half and took the lead in the 23rd minute through Raul Moro. Espanyol gained some momentum after the break, but only hit the target twice during the game, with the Estonian dealing with the danger well both times.

"I don't care what else happened in that game, the most important thing is a clean sheet and three points. We got off to a good start here, so hopefully we can keep going. We needed to get that good start, it was very important for us," said Hein.

The Estonian added that there has not been a lot of talk about the expectations placed on him by the club. "The expectations, from my side, and also on the club's side, are that if I get the chance and I'm given the chance, then I'll be ready and do my job. When I'm brought in, it is expected and I expect myself, that I will do my job well," he said.

One expectation, however, is that Hein, who has lived in England for a long time, will now learn the local language. "I'm happy to learn. I've spent a lot of time on the Duolingo [language learning] app, and I'm also going to start doing private lessons with a teacher on a regular basis. I will definitely learn the language and assimilate into the culture," he said.

"There are a lot of players and team members here who also speak English very well. But for my own sake as well as for the sake of the team, I'll definitely learn Spanish."

Real Valladolid won automatic promotion to the Spanish top flight last season, after finishing second in the Segunda División. Their victory over Espanyol on Monday meant they were one of only four sides to begin the new campaign with a win.

The La Liga season continues for Valladolid on Sunday when they face European champions Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabéu. How does that challenge sound to Hein? "It sounds very good. Our opponents are one of the most historically powerful clubs is and we'll put in a good week of preparation  to get ourselves ready for the challenge," he said.

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