Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa (Taguatinga, Brazil, 2006)sits down to talk to MARCA from Lyon. In his new city and team where he will be on loan until June. It has been just three days since a goal of his, in his debut match, qualified OL for the next round of the Coupe de France against Lille (1-2). It was a great debut for a boy who feels like a Real Madrid fan through and through. He hopes to return to Madrid soon.How have your first days in Lyon been?
They have been excellent. I was welcomed very well at the club and I had all the support I needed for my integration and for those who will work with me.Last Sunday you scored on your debut against Lille. How many Real Madrid players called you to congratulate you?
I don’t think I’ve finished replying to the messages I received after the match yet (laughs). There were so many. After the match, I couldn’t even count them. God has always put wonderful people close to my career.
How many goals do you expect to score in your adventure at Lyon?
I hope to win all the matches, that’s the important thing. I will help to win by scoring goals, but we can win with goals from other teammates. I came here to win a title with Lyon. I didn’t come here to count goals. I will work to score all the time, to always get it right, but sometimes we get it right by giving a teammate a better chance to score.
I didn’t come to count goals, but I’ll work to score
Do you think Ancelotti will take you to the World Cup no matter what, or does it depend on your performance?
The Brazilian national team is the most important in the world. Nobody has a guaranteed place. I want to play for Brazil again, but that is a consequence of what I do now at Lyon. In the first game I achieved my goal: qualification in the cup. It was great, because I was able to score my first goal with the club, but I have to aim for more. If I score more, my chances of being called up will increase.
Has Florentino Perez written to you to wish you luck?
The president always helped everyone in everything and with me it was no exception. He understood my desire to play consecutive matches… and he was generous as always.
What was your reaction to seeing Xabi Alonso’s departure?
I learned a lot from Xabi in Madrid. He was a top player and knows football very well. Although I was injured for a long time and couldn’t train with everyone, I benefited a lot from what I heard from him. Now I’m learning from Paulo Fonseca (his coach at Lyon), who is also meticulous. If you have an open mind, you learn every day from great coaches, and that’s what I’m looking for.
I learned a lot from Xabi in Madrid. He was a top player and knows football very well
Do you think Ligue 1 will be much more physical than LaLiga? Will that be a problem?
France and Spain have two of the best national teams in the world. They have both won a lot in recent years. Both leagues demand a lot of physical preparation, mental quickness and technique. I don’t think one is more technical and the other more physical. They are players who come from all over the world in the top clubs of both. Both demand a lot in everything. I have always played with players older than me, since I was a child, and I have always had to overcome myself physically. The truth is that I don’t see it as a problem.Do you promise the Real Madrid fans, who still love you very much, that you will soon be successful in white again?
I’m very happy with all the affection of the Real Madrid fans and I hope that everyone sends their prayers so that I can win a title here, in Lyon, a club to which I will dedicate myself completely now. The fans will be cheering Real Madrid in the Champions League, but they can also cheer Lyon in the Europa League, can’t they?
