Nelson Semedo

He arrived in Barcelona five months ago. What is the balance of these early days?

A very positive balance. I was well received, I fit the team well and it helped. It has been going well, even better than I expected, and the team has been doing well as well.

It was much criticized at first, but it was not the only one. Paulinho, for example, was also. Do you feel better now?

Yes, I was very criticized, but it turns out to be normal. I can see why. Barcelona is a huge club that fights for all titles and in which obviously the demand is very great. They had here the one who is, for me, the best player in this position, Dani Alves. It would never be easy to replace him and it was, and is, normal for the fans to doubt the quality of a player so new and coming from Benfica. But right now I think I can prove that I have value and I think they are happy with me.

In the pre-season, a few days after arriving, he had that conflict with Neymar in training. A very influential player against another who had just arrived ... Did that hurt him?

No. It was a normal training situation, but it took other proportions. It did not affect me because I had the support of the whole team and my friends, but obviously that moved me. I had just arrived and one of the team's most influential players came into conflict with me after a normal training pitch. It bothered me at the moment, but I also noticed: he was in a difficult moment, wanted to leave.

And how was his exit? A general shock?

He caught me by surprise. I had no idea that this could happen, but maybe the rest of the resort was already waiting. I did not imagine, at all, that he could leave Barcelona for PSG. I was completely taken aback, just like the supporters who would also have been in shock because he was an important player in the team and very cherished.

One star came out, there were so many others. To highlight, for example, Iniesta and Messi ... What is it like working with them?

It's great, but super normal obviously. The Barcelona spa is super normal, although one can think that being full of incredible players is different. It is true that they are not normal players, especially Messi, who is a series, but they are normal people and the work environment is the same.

What do you remember about the first day?

It was amazing! Getting to the spa and working for the first time with players like Barça was fantastic. Accustomed to watching them play, admiring them and suddenly being their team-mate ... I never imagined it was possible, and it became a reality.

And now, what has become reality, what dream does Barcelona have with the jersey?

Raise the Champions League, win all there is to win internally and one day be remembered as one of the best sides in the club's history.

He also found another Portuguese in the bathhouse. Did André Gomes make it easy to adapt?

Yes, it has helped, but when I arrived he was still on vacation. I could also have had more days and come almost at the same time as him, but decide to come early because he wanted to adapt me. I did well. He arrived two weeks after the tour. Still, of course it was a support, having him here is top: I played with him in Benfica, in the national team and now here.

On the right side of the defense has the competition mainly of Sergi Roberto. Sometimes he plays one, sometimes another. How do you deal with it? One day he plays, in the other he is not summoned...

It's part of, it's a coach's management and that's going well. Obviously he always liked to play, but Sergi is a very good player and he deserves it too. I knew it was going to be difficult to play in every game, but I'm happy with the opportunities and the time I've had in my first year here.

One of the games he did not play was the one against Las Palmas with Camp Nou behind closed doors. How did you live this game from the bank?

It was very strange, I confess. His colleagues were heard to speak, which is never heard so well. It was strange because even though we did not stage before the game and only got together two hours before, we did not know if we were going to play or not.

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He left Benfica in the last market, leaving after the conquest of the four-time champion and still of the Portuguese Cup. Did you leave at the right time?

Yes, for me, yes. They were two very good years in the main team, despite the injury I had in the first year and that did not let me play so much. I won almost everything in Benfica, I left in a good year and through the big door.

And do you miss Benfica?

I have, of course, but life goes on and I also had the goal of reaching another level. Maybe one day I'll be back.

Are you still in touch with your ex-buddies?

Yes, I keep with everyone in general. We have a group on whatsapp [chat on the phone] and we are always in touch. Let's talk.

And now, before facing Sporting, did not sting him to beat the eternal rival?

Not really, but they know that this must always happen (laughs). Still, and no joke, even though they were Benfica, I think they liked Sporting to pass. It would have been good for Portuguese football. I liked that it had passed and, as I said, I think Sporting deserved more for the group stage that it did.

Benfica were eliminated in the Champions League with six defeats in six games. How do you explain this course in the Champions League?

How to explain? I do not know (hesitates) ... I do not know. The Champions is not an easy competition, there may always be less good years, but I can not explain. The course was not positive. Now it is thinking of the internal competitions. Benfica is a club used to winning and knows how to get around these less positive moments. In the championship, which is the main goal, we are better ...

"We are"?

Yes we are. I no longer play in Benfica, but I'm Benfica (laughs).

Nélson Semedo is no longer there, he left and Benfica hired Douglas to Barcelona, ​​but André Almeida plays. It does not seem easy to replace...

Douglas has a lot of quality, although he has not been able to show yet. It is not difficult to replace myself, André Almeida does it well. He plays well in any position. He is an indispensable player, all teams would like to have such a player. In Barcelona our André Almeida is Sergi Roberto (laughs). It's an excellent right back and in the formation there are also quality players, Buta or Alex Pinto for example.

It was not only Nélson Semedo who left, there were more exits. Benfica was weaker with the last market outings?

No, I do not think I'm weaker. It did not weaken. It is a less good phase, but one that is easily overcome. Last season and the previous season we also had less good stages and we finished first. The Champions League is already there, Benfica is out, but, as I said, in the league everything is open. I hope to go to the Marquis in May.

But leaving the clubism aside, do you really believe that Benfica can be champions or this year is more difficult to give a guess? The big three seem to be more evenly matched and the rivals even better...

It's always difficult, but the time is still not half gone. Anything can happen! But yes, FC Porto seems to me to be better than Benfica and than Sporting too. You are making a good season and for me you are being the best team.

In the last weekend there was classic in the Dragon and gave a goalless draw. Did you see FC Porto-Benfica?

I saw yes, of course. It was a difficult game for Benfica. FC Porto is well and at home obviously makes things even more difficult. The draw was not a bad result for Benfica.

There are already some who put Rui Vitória in question, despite what they achieved in the first two years. What do you have to say about your former coach?

Nothing bad to point you to. He is an excellent trainer and an excellent person. If I'm here in Barcelona, ​​it's because of him that he came and he was not afraid to bet on me. Me, Ederson, and Lindelof, for example, owe him a lot.

Now he has bet on Rúben Dias, Diogo Gonçalves and João Carvalho...

Yes, that are other pearls of the formation of Benfica that have already managed to reach the main team. They have been well. Reuben has now stopped because of the operation to the appendix, Diogo whenever he is called is fine and João, despite not playing so much, is also a great player. I think they will.

Nélson Semedo came to Benfica to play for Team B, but is he one more of the formation incarnated?

Yes, I do. I played on team B with the training kids. I did not do it all, but I did an important part of the training in Seixal and so I think I am part of the formation of Benfica.

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He hasn't been in the European Championship, but has been called by Fernando Santos. Being in Barcelona, ​​playing regularly, and in World Championship years, are you already looking at the World Championship?

Of course yes. Knowing that I'm good here and that things are going well, it's easier to believe that I can be an option, but I know that the competition is great and good. We have several right sides and they are all very well. It's up to me to work here in Barcelona to help the club and in May have the confidence of Mr. Fernando Santos

The competition, as I said, is respectful and also plays at a high level: Cédric, João Cancelo...

And Ricardo Pereira, too. They are all well! For the selection is very good and for the selector I believe also, although it can be a more positive headache. It is good to have several options and with quality.

The group from Portugal has Spain, Iran and Morocco. What can the national team do in a first phase and throughout the competition?

Honestly, I think we have the quality to win the World Cup and we have already shown that we are a team to take into account. At this moment it is not easy to win Portugal, but we also know that the World Cup and, being a competition to eliminate, is not easy to conquer. We will see! We have to do what we know and go game by game.

Portugal plays the first game against Spain, will face their teammates. Have you stung them?

Yes, we spoke the next day. If it is, it will be fun to play against them after a year of playing with them. It's not an easy group, but I hope we get through. Of course I told them that we are going to win and I believe this will happen.

But the Spanish team is very strong...

Yeah, and I think it's better these days. But, as a rule, the Spanish team is always good; always has great players. He won the Euro 2008 and 2012 and still, in the middle, the World Cup 2010. It will certainly not be an easy game.

Some say Spain beat the group and Portugal finish second. Do you think it can be like that too?

No. We will do everything to make it the opposite, we first, also to avoid stronger teams in the phase to eliminate, and they second.

And in the year of two major competitions, what do you like best about winning Champions or World Cups?

Hmmm ... it's a difficult question.

World Cup this year and Champions for the year?

Can not both be this year? (laughs) The two would be a dream altogether.

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