“In Israel, I turn on the toaster and hear, ‘No, no, no.'” I felt like a crime had been committed. It was Saturday, I couldn’t turn on the devices”

He left the Portuguese First League to play in the Second Spanish League at Sporting de Gijón. Didn’t you regret it?
definitely. The second Spanish league is amazing, the stadiums are always full, the football is very good. It was a great club, I loved it.

There is this idea that Spanish players hate Portuguese. Didn’t you feel it?
This idea exists, but I did not feel it. Andre Souza and I blended in very well in the group of Spaniards. They helped us with everything we needed, always flawless.

Has the season in Spain gone well?
At first I didn’t play much. I played the first two league games because Francisco Molinero was injured, but as soon as he came back from the injury he started playing.

How did you feel when you saw that you had to give up your seat?
Of course I was a little disappointed, because the two games went really well for me. But it was the coach’s choice, he was a more experienced player, he already knew the league, he played in the first league. I had to understand.

Did your wife and daughter go with you?
Yes, my wife goes everywhere with me.

What do you like most about life in Gijón?
It was a quieter life, it wasn’t the Lisbon rush, the people were five star. We had Andre Souza and his family, we lived almost door to door, and it was so good, it was like home.