Vitinha: 'The fans give us even more desire'
Men's football•
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder faced the media ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool.
"The spirit is incredible, we love playing this kind of game, these big Champions League matches. They're the sort of game every footballer wants to play. We're focused, we're aware of the danger, and we're ready to play this big game."
"The fans' support is incredible. We know they're important for us, we know their role, they push us on, they give us even more desire. I don't need to ask them to support us with everything they've got, because I know they are going to give us that once again."
"Everyone knows football well enough to know that in this sort of game there is no favourite. It's Liverpool, a great team with great players, anything can happen. There are two big games to play, at the Parc and in Liverpool. We know we'll be at 100% and one thing is certain: we'll play to win the game, because that's what we want to do every time."
"Ousmane has always been a leader, even last season. When you see what he does on the pitch, what he brings to the team, he transmits that to all his teammates. He is even more of a leader since the Ballon d'Or, but it's something that comes naturally to him. He knows how to speak when it's required, he's a true leader."
"You always want all the players available, and even more so Fabian, who often started last season. But all the players in the team know what must be done on the pitch, we have shown that a number of times whenever a player has been missing. The team takes its responsibilities. The players are all a bit different, but we all know how to adapt."
"It's true that I've been fortunate not to have had any physical problems this season. I hope it'll continue like that, but you can't control everything. We do all we can to recover well, we take as much care as possible, but all the players don't do that in the same way. But I've also been a bit lucky too, without a doubt."
"They were two exceptional games. At the Parc and at Anfield, everything was difficult for both teams. I remember that we played really well in the first leg and we had a lot of chances. We were a little frustrated, but we want to repeat that sort of performance, do what we did in the first leg, because we played really well. We want a different result, of course. A lot of things happen in a year, so it'll be very different this season."
"He's a fundamental part of our team. What he does on the pitch, whether defensively or going forward and what he can contribute there...he's a complete player, a player who is very important for our team, and I hope he'll keep going in the same vein."