Felipe Andersonfantasist of Lazio, will play his last match with the biancoceleste shirt on Sunday. The Brazilian gave a long interview to the club’s official channels before the match against Sassuolo: “Will I be able to sleep before Sunday? Eh, we’ve almost reached the most difficult interview. Even though I knew that one day it would happen, I don’t know what I will feel, however, will certainly be a beautiful and difficult day. These last months I have had time to think, I have enjoyed everything and I have made this choice with my heart, together with my family words that I don’t want to say to Lazio and its people because I will always carry them in my heart, yes.”
What do you take away from the second adventure?
“What I always say, Lazio is more than a team for me. From when I arrived until today I have experienced a bit of everything: beautiful, incredible and difficult moments. Then, above all, when I wasn’t playing and Lazio took me back giving me all the confidence as if I had never left. It is something that is worth more than football, more than anything.”
What did the Capital give you?
“Affection, what I had and my family also had wherever we went. Italy is the most beautiful country in the world, the affection of the people struck us the most.”
What do they have in common with Brazilians?
“They are very expressive, it was easy to make friends here.”
The Roman word that said the most?
“Aww.”
What will she miss?
“I think about my routine, always towards football. I always live near Formello. That routine of coming here and always finding the fans outside.”
Was that Lazio-Samp match in 2015 the closest to perfection you’ve ever done?
“For the victory and for how I felt, there were two Atalanta and Milan from last year. We had a great performance, but like the one against Sampdoria it’s difficult.”
Who is your favorite Felipe Anderson?
“The one in 2014/15, individually yes. But in recent years I was very happy to participate a lot during the matches. But as an individual, that.”
How do you imagine a derby postcard?
“My first one, it’s a shame we drew. It was beautiful. And the one in which I scored and we won 1-0, I scored for a friend who is no longer here today. He told me that if I scored a goal I had to celebrate In that way, it was a special derby.”
What Lazio does he leave behind?
“Ambitious, which grows more and more every year. You could see the desire in every training session and in our days together to want to win. Even if this year didn’t go as well as last year, there is always the desire to grow and to compete at a high level. It’s changed a lot.”
Who is the most talented who hasn’t expressed himself at his best?
“Many, but especially the young players because sometimes they suffer from a lack of confidence in matches. Sometimes they play little, but they are young people who were certainly devastating. Pedro Neto was very strong in training.”
The nicest one you’ve met?
“Bastos, he made us all have fun dancing and trying to joke.”
Who has less taste in dressing?
“So many, half the team.”
Who listens to questionable music?
“Patric, but he’s good. He’s a DJ.”
The strongest he played with?
“Leiva, the trust he gave us when he went into duels or when he came with the ball, from what he told us. He was direct and gave a lot of clarity on the pitch. He was the strongest.”
Who would you like to thank within the club?
“Klose, he has helped me a lot since I arrived. Even the Brazilians, Hernanes and Ederson. When I arrived they helped me with the language, I was also injured and immediately in the first months they gave me incredible strength with advice and trust. Luigi Sinibaldi is incredible, he was always calm in difficult moments and when I was angry or in difficulty I asked him ‘What should I do?’. He was always there, I thank him and it will never be goodbye because we will always be friends.”
Can you tell us an anecdote with the fans?
“The person who impressed me the most is the person who got the tattoo. I like to be recognised, we work for this too, but the affection they have shown us is what counts. I am happy for the gestures they have made. The most important it was when we were in difficult times, they always helped us beyond football. They always welcomed me. My Lazio is beautiful too , Lazio enters your heart. We watch the fans sing it and they enter our hearts.”
Who do you wish to follow the path he did at Lazio?
“I wish everyone, if they stay here, to reach goals and win trophies. I see Rovella very well, for me he is one of the strongest. He is very young and can make an incredible journey here. Before arriving I saw that Hernanes was famous in Brazil and he came here, he came here to Lazio in his best period and I followed him a lot. Being able to come here and play together was an honor. He did many good things with the national team too.”
What is your favorite dish?
“The carbonara, but he (chef Di Iorio) tried to teach me many things. We had a lot of fun. He will always come back here, it’s goodbye with him too. Alessandro Prezioso? He likes to travel and he explained many things to me about Brazil, places that I didn’t know. He’s one of the friends I will have forever.”
What will he tell his daughter?
“I will bring her here, we will always go to Rome where she was born. She will live through her entire history with Lazio, I will bring her here to Formello and to the Olimpico. She will always have the Lazio shirt.”
What did Lazio represent for you?
“Anyway, I have arrived at a time when we men decide many things. Everything I have done in football and in my life has been important and decisive, now I am also a father and husband. I have a wonderful wife, these eleven years have been made of beautiful choices that give direction to my life. They were the most important ones in my life, choices that will take me on the path I wanted. When I started she left everything to help me, she still tells me everything she has to to help me grow well. Our relationship is intense and very real.”
A final thank you?
“I want to thank the fans, they have been incredible years. I apologize if sometimes in some matches things didn’t go as we wanted, but we always tried to do our best. I tried to do everything to make you happy and I I will do it until the end. Sunday is the last match and, if I play, I will give everything and it will be a special day because I will see the stadium full. I will always say goodbye to you. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for the my family, they love you. They always told me that there was something special about Felipe Anderson, the footballer and boy. We will always carry you in our hearts.”
