The surprise team of Europe? Easy. It’s Sevilla FC. The Andalusian powerhouse may have missed out on a fabulous opportunity to take back first place in La Liga last Sunday, but the Sevillistas are still a serious threat to win their first Spanish championship in more than 60 years, beating out perennial powers Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia.
Sevilla’s hard-working squad has top-to-bottom quality, but Brazilian defender Daniel Alves is the standout. He has been outstanding this season, following up on a campaign in which he won MVP on the way to Sevilla’s shock UEFA Cup title, the team’s first-ever European hardware.
But the 23-year-old isn’t sitting back on those achievements — he wants more, and is eager to keep proving himself with the Brazilian national team. Widely regarded the best right back in the world, he’s destined for greater things. I recently caught up with the acclaimed Brazilian a few days before Sevilla’s must-win UEFA Cup match against Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk.
SI.com: Sevilla is having an outstanding season. What have been the club’s main strengths?
Daniel Alves: I think the work we put in. The team plays well as a unit. We never sit back, and always try to go forward. We have good players, but the most positive thing is that our fans are right behind us. Everyone at the club is behind us, and this helps us play better.
SI.com: Do you have what it takes to win the league?
Daniel Alves: The championship is clearly there to be won. We are definitely going to fight for it. We have some tough matches coming up against Real Madrid and Valencia, both away from home. We are well aware that we have a good opportunity to win the league. We are the leaders of the competition, and hopefully we can win it.
SI.com: Sevilla has been a big surprise the last couple of seasons. What has the club done differently compared to in the past?
Daniel Alves: I think the club has grown a lot. We won our first international title last year, and it had been a long time since the club last won a trophy. We have improved enormously, and must keep growing. This season we have been very consistent. Hopefully we can win the league title. I think that’ll be the icing on the cake.
SI.com: Many consider you the best right back in the world at the moment. Did you expect this recognition so early on in your career?
Daniel Alves: You never expect that kind of recognition. I’m very happy. Things have turned out very positively for me, and I hope to continue to make the most of it. I try to improve every day, and hopefully I can continue to live up to the reputation I have already made.
SI.com: At only 23, you’re one of Brazil’s most promising players. What can we expect from you this year?
Daniel Alves: I hope to gain some valuable experience with Sevilla and the national team. We have an objective that is to obtain qualification to the Champions League for next season, so that’s also important. I hope to help Sevilla win another title, whether it be the UEFA Cup again or the league championship.
SI.com: Which players did you look up to when you were growing up?
Daniel Alves: Cafú has always been my main reference. When I was in Brazil, I supported the team he played for, São Paulo. He always played well there, and I also liked watching him play for Brazil. I’ve always liked the way he plays.
SI.com: You’ve been tipped to succeed him as right back for the Brazilian national team. How does it feel to have that responsibility?
Daniel Alves: What can I say, it’s an honor. He’s a player with lots of experience at the highest level. But I think it will be difficult to substitute him because all he has done in his sporting career, for soccer in Brazil and in Europe. Cafú is a great player with lots of experience. To achieve what he has already done will be very difficult, but I will continue to work hard.
SI.com: Does the possibility to take part in the Copa América and in World Cup qualifiers motivate you?
Daniel Alves: Of course, those are the main objectives I have. Playing for Brazil has always been a dream of mine, and I’m very happy to have been selected for Brazil’s upcoming friendlies. It’s now up to me. It’s a great opportunity to do well with the national team, and hopefully I can play the Copa América and the World Cup qualifiers.
SI.com: What can we expect from Brazil in Venezuela?
Daniel Alves: There’s going to be strong competition. But we are always one of the favorites, and anything but the title will be considered as failure. Brazil has had big changes since the World Cup, and we are improving every game. In order to win it, we must be better than the rest of the participating teams.
SI.com: Last week’s 2-2 draw at home to Shakhtar Donetsk put Sevilla in a difficult position to advance to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. Do you still believe you can win back-to-back titles?
Daniel Alves: Well, it wasn’t the best result. But the team showed it’s capable of overcoming difficulties. We played well. I think we are in a difficult situation, but we still have possibilities of advancing. We’ll do our best to win the match, and then we’ll see. I think we have a good chance of winning the title again.
SI.com: Sevilla president José María del Nido recently valued you at more than $26 million. Several top clubs are still fighting over you, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool and AC Milan.
Daniel Alves: At the moment, I’m just thinking about Sevilla. It’s different because at this club, I have the possibility to fight for important things. But being recognized by those teams is very important for me. Hopefully one day I can play for one of those clubs.
Gregory Sica
Loading ...
Leave a Reply