Sylvinho: "There's no time to start dreaming"

Barcelona player Sylvinho gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.





You have already 15 years of elite football on the counter. Did you ever see a team like this Barça?
It’s one of the greatest and best teams. If I wouldn’t be playing here, I would say: “what an impressive team”, but since I’m part of it and aware that we depend on the results, I prefer to wait. Until now, I can say that it’s very similar to the two good years with Rijkaard because that team also was very aggressive, with a lot of pressure and technique. The basis is almost the same today.

When would you be satisfied at the end of this season?
If I wouldn’t be here, I would take a risk and say that we should win the three trophies but from within the club you cannot say that. When we lose two games, we will have to come out and answer questions about the mistakes we could have made. We’re living from game to game and there’s no time to start dreaming.

Agreed, but with which trophies you would be satisfied?
Although I've planned everything well, when I have two children and there’s a third one coming, I will be as happy. I prefer to go step by step. I don't give priority to any of the three trophies we’re competing for and we’re obviously going to try to win them all.

How are you looking forward to the tie with Bayern?
Physically, they’re very strong but I think we could take a good advantage in the first game at the Camp Nou. It will be a difficult tie but we’re going to have our chances to go through.

Let’s talk about you. You’re on the verge of turning 35 but you’re still in great shape. What’s the secret?
I think there are three things that allow me to be like this: genetics, taking care of myself and the psychological aspect. With the experience I’ve gained over the years, I’ve learnt not to give up when I don’t play a game. Before, I was angry for a week and my family had to deal with that. Now it only lasts for 24 hours. After a day, I change my mindset and start to prepare myself for the next game the best way I can.

Until now you’ve played a lot more in the Copa and the Champions League than in the Liga. How do you explain that?
At my age, being almost 35 years old, I’m not here to cause problems. Pep has to deal with a lot of things, it’s a big club and I cannot be a player of 22 years old who asks the coach for an explanation. For me, there is no explanation, just the fact that the coach has 22 players to choose from and he decides. I prepare myself the same way for a game in the Liga, the Copa and the Champions League.

Bojan said the other day that those who played the Copa could deserve more to play the final against Athletic Bilbao. You think the same way?
We all want to play every game, not only the cup final but also the next game against Valladolid. It will be the coach who decides who will play, but in the coming weeks we’re gonna play a lot of games so we’ll see how everyone feels when the final is there. I prefer not to play the final if that means we take the trophy home.

Apart from your professional attitude, you’re also sticking out for your role as an adviser within the team…
It’s something that comes naturally, although sometimes I’m too busy with it and it takes my energy away. But I like to help my teammates. I’m an observer and I always try to look for the right moment to talk. You shouldn’t forget that this is just like any other job, with people having the same problems.

So Piqué and Alves are the clowns while you’re the shrink…
I also like to joke around. It’s not that I’m acting as a psychologist, I just try to help the teammates discretely.

You have a very special relationship with Messi. There’s something about him that we still don’t know?
It’s a very intelligent and slick guy. He perfectly knows what’s going on and what the laws of the game are. Besides that, he can count on his whole family, which is basic for him and helps him a lot.


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