Esporte Interativo always interviews Brazilian players after Champions League matches, normally with general questions about the game and the club’s plans for the future.
This happened a lot of times this week, with the likes of Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Andreas Pereira and so on.
But it was different when they spoke to Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, who isn’t exactly having a great season so far.
The chat started with the player saying he played well even though he didn’t score, and turned into quite an outburst, him explaining that things haven’t happened the way he would like.
“Sometimes you get stuck in the past,” Gabriel Jesus told Esporte Interativo. “What happened, what’s happening. I demand a lot from myself. It’s far from being a start of season like last season for me. So I get pretty into it. Of course this year is not being easy for me. But, like I said, I’m happy again. My family arrived. I’m very happy, very happy.
“They have been helping me a lot when they are in Brazil, now that they are here, it makes me happier, more free. Just thinking about playing football. That’s all that was missing.”
Still only 21 years of age, the Manchester City player has scored 1 goals in 500 Premier League minutes this season, contributing two assists.
He’s got three goals in four Champions league appearances, all of them in a single game against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Despite it not being a terrible situation, there’s a feeling around the player that everything isn’t right.
With the reporter insisting on asking about what has been wrong with him lately, Gabriel Jesus has explained his ups and downs.
“It’s the footballer’s life. I think everyone’s life. It has good phases, bad phases. There are phases that you play very well and you do not score much. There are stages that you only shin the ball and score a goal. It’s a player’s life. Players live like this.”
“We have to keep the psychological side very strong. I think unfortunately I could not do that. Now, as I said, I go back, talking to my family, to my mother, to the people who are with me. I think this is helping me a lot to regain my confidence, to resume my football. And I think things are going to get better from now on.
“Like I said, today was a game that I felt really good, I’m very happy for my game. Regardless of scoring or not. I know I’m an attacker, a forward, and I live on goals. However, sometimes the team wins, you helped a lot with the ball and without the ball, you did not score the goal. So I’m happy.
“Of course, like I said, this season is not like last season or when I got here. I think that’s why the demand is a little higher. But I’m very calm about it, I hope to continue helping my team, keep working hard, like I’ve been working, I’ve always worked, and with the happiness that I have.”
