Fernando Reges he is finishing the season at an outstanding level. The Brazilian midfielder from Sevilla explains to AS his feelings before the visit to Real Madrid.
They have declared him the best player of April in LaLiga. The truth is that he has been impressive, at 33 years old. Did you expect the current physical state?
-It's the best moment of my career. The highest, both personally and professionally. Physically I am very well, something that with 33 years is difficult. And with the experience that I gained, I am playing to the top.
Until when is it active? Will it be at Sevilla?
-The way I'm feeling, I think I can play calmly for three or four more years. And yes, I hope it will be at Sevilla. I have one more year of contract here, but I am calm. We'll see what happens.
Sevilla lost to Athletic. And now that?
-Losing is always hard. Our main objective was and is to win as many games as possible and then see what happens. LaLiga was just a dream when the season started. Now we know that it is even more complicated, but dreaming, we always dream. Also with winning the Champions League.
It seemed impossible to keep up with the big three.
-It is very difficult to be so close to Real Madrid, Atlético and Barcelona, teams with an economic power other than ours. It is very difficult to win every game.
How do you see Real Madrid, which has just fallen into the Champions League?
-It is one of the best teams in the world, which fights for all competitions. And that he continues to fight for LaLiga. It will be very hard.
Casemiro plays in the rival. Brazilian and one of the great pivots of LaLiga, like you.
-Buff, Casemiro is better than me. To be at his level I have to do many good seasons.
Do you like your compatriot so much?
-Casemiro is tremendous. Aggressive, strong, reaches the top … I have a hard time when I play against him. He has been a key player at Real Madrid for many years. It will go down in football history.
And what about Zidane? Much is said about his future in Madrid.
-Zidane is a spectacular coach. There are the titles that he has won these years.
In Madrid, they say, they want their partner Koundé. Do you think it will be easy to keep Jules at Sevilla?
-It's going to be difficult, really, because of how he's playing. The Madrid? Any sports director in the world is going to say: 'This one is not lost on me'.
Koundé, Diego Carlos and you are the 'security axis' of Sevilla. The three seem to have matched up very well.
-When I arrived in Seville I did not know them. But Monchi made tremendous hires. It is difficult to find centrals like this, so fast and so good technically. They have it all. And besides, they are very humble. Sometimes you talk to kids and what you say goes in one ear and out the other. But they listen and want to learn.
And what have you learned from Lopetegui?
-Our coach came to Sevilla with great ambition, wanting to win things and found a group that also had ambition. It all came together. Good things happen because of it. Lopetegui is a winner, and that way of being marks the rest.
You played several years for Manchester City and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Now, the citizens they have finally reached the final. Happy?
-Sure. I have friends there, some very important like Fernandinho. They had a great team and going further was something that was going to happen one day.
Finally, a wish during this pandemic …
-Well, I haven't seen my parents in Brazil for two years, my mother doesn't stop asking when I'm going to go. I tell him that he has to wait, to see when there will be flights …