— In Brazil, there is a lot of talk about the player more as a person than as an athlete. There is an emotional part there that is also closely linked to the player himself. Do you think this, in a way, takes the player away from the requirement or is it something that can be perfectly overcome?
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— What you say is true and it’s not a criticism, on the contrary. There is this emotional part of the player not being seen just as the athlete. Even the relationship between them is different in Europe. It’s colder, of «I get here, I do my job and it’s over». Here there is a greater connection between team members. This, on the one hand, is positive and perfectly compatible with the requirement and rigor. Often the image we have of Brazil is not so much that of rigor, demand, a work culture…
— There was even the issue of the kid player, who influenced Brazilian football with his swagger and deception…
— I was lucky enough to work with many Brazilians at Shakhtar. And everything that was said about the Brazilian player, I refuted. It was just the opposite. Because the ability to adapt to Ukraine, at minus 16 degrees, where the way of life, the culture of the people, the coldness of the people of northern Europe… They adapted perfectly. The fact that you are more emotional, that you have an emotional side that is very present in your character has nothing to do with being rigorous, professional and hardworking.
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