Paulinho

From the moment you came here, you made it clear that you did not care about the criticism. You said you would show your work on the field, but did you expect to play that much?

Paulinho: "Before coming here, I knew about the criticism. My entire career was always like that. But, I am happy. I try to help my teammates and my team, but I did not expect to adapt in such a short time. My teammates helped me a lot and we have to continue in this way and in my case, keep growing."

It seems like you've been here for many years. What's the secret?

Paulinho: "Since the first day I arrived, four months ago, many people helped me and my family. All the players have been helping me, but I especially speak with three: Leo, Suárez, and Busquets. They are the ones who have helped me better understand the way Barça plays. People think I've been here for a year or two? That's a good sign. It's a sign that I'm doing my job well."

You just talked about Messi. There's a special connection on the field with him.

Paulinho: "I always look and observe how he likes to play on the field. If he goes to one side of the field, I go to another. We understand each other very well."

Not only have you played many minutes and have become a starter for Valverde, but you're also one of the team's top scorers with six goals. Could you have imagined this?

Paulinho: "I did not think everything would go like this. I have a characteristic which is to make goals. I did it in Brazil and in China, but that's not my goal. My goal is to help the team and my teammates conquer titles. It's a very big challenge of my career; I'm wearing the jersey of one of the biggest teams in the world. I want to win titles. For all the clubs that I played in, except Tottenham, I won titles and I was happy. I hope it's the same here."

Your spectacular start comes with being the leader in the league and not losing a single game yet. Can you ask for more?

Paulinho: "I have more to thank about my life and my career than not asking for something. We have to say concentrated. I hope the team continues to win until the end. This phase at Barça shows that I have to thank the club by celebrating with titles."

What is your opinion of Ernesto Valverde?

Paulinho: "The impression I've gotten from him is that he's a great human being. Since I came here, he's always tried to talk with me so that I could understand the way we played quickly. He does a great job. After the games, if he has to correct me on something, he always speaks to me. He's a person that I am going to keep affection with because he has shown me that he is a great human being and he's demonstrating his ability of leading the team to the top."

Would Coutinho be a good signing to help achieve titles?

Paulinho: "I've already talked a few times about the Coutinho question. Everyone expects great players to come to Barça. We have a very strong group of great players; without Coutinho, we're doing a great job. On Coutinho, it isn't necessary to say much. He's a great player, who has been making a difference in his team, the Brazilian team. He's a young player, but has a lot of experience in Europe. I want him to come; I think it would be a great signing for Barça. It would bring me a lot of happiness, because we would have another great player and another Brazilian."

Your signing was not easy. Not only because of the criticism, but because Guangzhou did not want to let you go for less than €40m. Did you have a bad time?

Paulinho: "I am a person who always tries to keep his word. I knew that it didn't depend on me, but on Guangzhou. It was a difficult month, very complicated. I had anxiety and I was nervous. In the end, there was an agreement, and Guangzhou opened the doors and I said goodbye. I am very grateful."

Four months later, is Barça like as you imagined it to be?

Paulinho: "It's very different. When you're not in the inside, you imagine things. Like how the training center should be, the environment, and how Barcelona will be. I tell my family that not only is Barça one of the best teams in the world, it's much more than I imagined it to be."

What's surprised you the most?

Paulinho: "The trainings. The fans only see the matches, but I have no explanation on the high quality things that happen in training. Many of my friends ask me how the quality of training is and I tell them: 'It is better than you can imagine.' It may seem easy, but it isn't. You need to have some quality to play at Barça."

Before the end of the year you will play your first Clásico. What's going on in your head?

Paulinho: "I manage to control my anxiety very well. Many people have been asking me about my first Clásico. I am used to taking things as calmly and naturally as possible. Knowing the greatness of this game, which paralyzes the whole world, I hope that this is the first of many. I'm sure that it'll be a great match, with two teams with very high level players. I have no greater motivation than playing a Clásico like this one. We have to do our job. In order to win the league, we have to win games like these. It will be difficult and I hope we can come out with a great result at the Bernabéu."

Marcelo and Casemiro are two of your compatriots at Real.

Paulinho: "They are two friends. They are great players who are having great careers at Madrid. Marcelo has been playing their for eights years and he's one of the captains. He's great at going forward. He's a person to whom I have great respect and affection. We're going to face each other and everyone on their field defends their team. Friendships can wait; they're going to be left out. I hope this will be a great game and a great show for the fans. We want to win."

After you starting the previous Barça games several times, you can't imagine being left out of the starting eleven. Right?

Paulinho: "This is something that doesn't worry me. It's fine if don't leave the bench of enter the game later. Before coming to Barça, I knew that some players play some games and other players play other games. I try to use the minutes that the coach gives me. It depends on the opposition; there will be times where I will start and there will be times when I come on as a sub. The most important things are: to be there and to help the team."

A victory against Madrid means that they will be fourteen points behind. Does this mean the title race would practically be over?

Paulinho: "A victory would give us a very good advantage, but things can change fast in football. Sometimes you can win a Clásico and then lose the rest of the games. If we win, it will be a very big advantage, but we have to continue to win until the end of the competition. Of course, it would be important to have an advantage like this, because there are more games and more competitions to play."

Imagine the game is tight. The 90th minute arrives and Paulinho scores the winning goal! How would you celebrate it?

Paulinho: "I didn't think about this, but the celebration would be the same, regardless of the opposition. My celebration would be for my little princess and my wife who is always there for me. It's clear that it would be a different goal because of the rival and at the last minute. So it would be the same, but I would add in something more..."

Messi celebrated by showing his shirt to the Bernabéu.

Paulinho: "Messi's celebration was valid and normal. There was nothing wrong with it. I don't know what I would do."

What do you think about Yerry Mina?

Paulinho: "I don't watch many games when I'm at home. I saw him play in some games and he's a great player. Also, I have a friend who is fond of Palmeiras and he tells me that he's a great player who's really tall. If Barça want him, it's because he fits Barça's profile. If he signs, I am sure that he'll be an important signing and will greatly help the team."

Did Mascherano ask you for advice on China?

Paulinho: "I don't know how is situation is going. He's a player who's been here for seven seasons. He and other players have asked me how the league in China is and I tell them that I have a lot of respect for the Chinese League. My life was very good there. When I arrived, Mascherano asked me if my family adapted in China, how the training was, and if the food was good. I told him that football has evolved a lot in China. I gave him the best possible people to talk to if he was interested in going to China. If he goes, I'm sure that he'll like it."