Following Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League, Brazilian outlet UOL now features an interview with the Clarets’ fullback Vitinho.
This is the 23-year-old’s first season in English football, and with quite a big achievement, he’s ready to feature in the top flight in 2023/24.
Vitinho responded to a couple of questions about Vincent Kompany’s work at Burnley, and was asked about the similarities the manager has with his former boss Pep Guardiola.
“Everything that happened is a prize for us. We have a team that works hard every day, and a coach who works for us to be well, is a guy with his head in the team. What we did on the day to day gave results in the games,” Vitinho told UOL.
“I don’t say that he imitates, but it’s a similar game. We want the ball all the time, we lose and press, we want to build from the goalkeeper. It’s a game similar to Guardiola’s City.”
Vitinho also talked about the Brazilian national team, which is a dream of his.
Featuring for the U-20 national team, Vitinho also spent time with the first team squad last year, when they were preparing for the World Cup. Now he expects to soon be with the main squad as well.
“The Brazilian national team is the goal of my life”.
“It was incredible, I was close to some players that I only saw on television or in video games. I learned a lot, I saw that it could be a reality for me, and today that’s what I think, that’s where I want to be, and I’m going to work for it.”
The fullback also claims to have a specific player as a reference for his position.
“The reference is Cafu, right? He has three World Cup finals! The Brazilian full-backs are the best in history and I look to them as inspiration”.
Vitinho had been playing for Belgian side Cercle Brugge, and at Kompany’s request, was signed by Burnley on a €1m deal last summer.
So far, he had 37 appearances for the Claerets, with three goals and three assists.
