Read the answers provided by the Portuguese defender in detail.

«Good evening. Let me thank you for your participation in this interview. It’s great to communicate with the fans and I will do my best to attend heartily to all your questions«.

Do you believe that your contribution to PAOK is what the club and fans expect of you?

«I am never satisfied with myself. I try to improve through every training and become a better player. I know what I have to do and I am working hard on a daily basis«.

Do you believe that the team can claim the league title this season? Can we expect a good campaign in Greece and Europe with the recent signings? Can we stand up to Olympiacos?

«If I didn’t believe it, I wouldn’t go to trainings each day. As a member of PAOK, one has to play each game as potential champion. There are hardships, there are three very strong rivals, but we have everything and we must believe in ourselves. We have to fight as if it were our last game«.

Your opinion on this season’s roster and on the work compared with last season.

«Everything is different this season, starting with the head coach. He sets the rules, carves out the mentality, picks the tactics. I believe we have more options and higher quality. We need to work in order to become a strong team«.

Did you regret your decision to come to Greece?

«No way. I feel great at PAOK, I believe in the team’s dynamics and I know I made the right choice«.

Do you believe in Igor Tudor’s work and what is your opinion about his 3-5-2? What do you think about your coach and about Frank Arnesen?

«I have the best opinion about the coach. He is on top of everything and that is very important. He has a great staff and they all try to convey their philosophy. PAOK’s decision was spot on. He was a very experienced player at Juventus and has a great future ahead as coach. I am happy to work with him. There is quality in the trainings and team programming and that is very important for us players. With regard to Mr. Arnesen, he is very experienced, having working at the biggest clubs of the world. PAOK can only profit from his presence. The club gains more respect when people see such personalities coming to work here«.

Based on your experience, can you pinpoint which younger teammate of yours is destined for great things?

«I don’t like to name players, I always speak about the team. Every young player of PAOK has quality and a bright future ahead. Speaking of young footballers, I have seen many of them destroy themselves, when they thought they had already become stars and were hailed as such«.

Which has been the most intense moment of your career?

«There have been many of them and it’s difficult to pick just one. I have won the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League with FC Porto. The league with VfL Wolfsburg was very important, as they had been deprived of silverware for too long. All moments of my career were important. Everything I have worked for in my career, all my titles, all caps with the national team. It’s important to build a good career with titles and I have won several«.

How do you feel at PAOK and Thessaloniki?

«I feel at home. People are friendly and have welcomed me. I am not yet used to the coffee routine! I live my life at Panorama, I go to trainings and I am very happy«.

Why did you choose to leave Europe two years ago? Was it a financial issue or lack of ambition?

«After participating in my third World Cup finals, the people from Qatar approached me with a proposal. They presented a plan where, besides playing football, I would work with young children. We would build the club’s academies. It was a very appealing project that would interest me after retiring. That was the reason behind my decision. When I got there however, I understood that Qatar would not agree with me. Different culture, different philosophy, different language, different playing quality. I couldn’t work there. That’s why I decided to return to Europe«.

Do you believe that you can achieve big with PAOK this season?

«As stated before, of course I believe it«.

How long will your career last? What do you plan on doing after retiring?

«I hope I will be spared from injuries. That is very important for a player. I set goals with each season. I feel strong. I want to play at the highest level for two more years and then return to Portugal to finish my career. My family needs me. Now I only think about football and I enjoy trainings, games and my friends within the team on a daily basis. I believe there is still time ahead and I want to win a title. I am working hard for it, that is my mentality«.

Have you given everything to the team? Have you met your own expectations?

«I am never satisfied with myself. I always try to improve on my weaknesses and become stronger through trainings«.

Were you able to bring a former teammate to PAOK, whom would you pick and why?

«This question requires much thought, but right now it’s impossible to name just one. I have been blessed with great teammates throughout the years and it wouldn’t be fair to pick one. They were all very important to me«.

How do you feel being one of PAOK’s captains this season? Do you consider the team more competitive compared to last season?

«It’s an honour for me to be a co-captain in this big club. I am trying to help through my experience and personality. This is a new season with a new coach and several newcomers. I believe we will build a strong team and fight for the league title«.

Were you expecting a smoother draw or do you consider Brøndby IF an easy opponent?

«I am expecting tough ties. They have good and experienced players. We must be strong at Toumba and not concede goals there. We must analyse our opponent and apply the correct tactics. We must remain focused for 90 minutes in the second leg. We shouldn’t commit errors that might lead to goals. Both team have even chances, but I believe we can go through«.

Fernando Santos is the head coach of Portugal national team and is monitoring PAOK closely. Do you consider that a motive to return to international duty or you’re you already disregarded that?

«I spoke to him before joining PAOK. If I am in good form, I will be called to the national team. I have to fight on a daily basis. Portugal have many and great defenders, but I have featured in three World Cup finals under three different coaches. I know that Santos is monitoring PAOK and I am confident that, if I perform well, I will be included in the list. I have to wait for my opportunity«.

Talk to us about your teammates Tzavellas and Athanasiadis.

«They are great guys. Klaus is important to us and I am glad he is recovering. He is one of our captains. Both are internationals, experienced and PAOK need them. We will work had to be in form this season«.

In your opinion who is the best player of those who made it to the team’s roster for the first time this season?

«Our team is the best player: the 11 starting and the 3 coming off the bench as substitutes.. We have to believe on the work done in order to remain strong. It doesn’t have to do with certain players or stars. PAOK are the star. We try to help the team. The most important person is the coach, who decides about everything and sets the rules«.

What made you decide to come to PAOK?

«My initial negotiations lasted for a month. I spoke to Vryzas, he told me about the project and the fans. I then spoke to the president and the club owner and I made up my mind. PAOK are a family. There is professionalism and family atmosphere at the same time. I like working in such conditions. I like feeling happy and speak to those working for the club. I respect them all«.

Your opinion about PAOK fans

«They are incredible. When they pack our home ground, it’s difficult for any rival to defeat us. They are an extra player for us. People must believe in the team, come to Toumba and then we will win every encounter. All opponents will be intimidated in our home ground«.

Your personal aspirations for the season?

«I want us to play in the UEFA Europa League group stage and also make it ot the knock-out stage. I would also like to score some goals, as I did in previous seasons. I have to improve in set pieces and score 4-6 goals«.

You look improved this season, but still can’t avoid some unforced errors. Why is that?

«I believe in psychological preparation. If a player isn’t mentally strong, they can’t avoid errors. We have to improve on a daily basis and let our quality show what we are capable of«.

Can you compare the atmosphere at Toumba with the one at Mestalla? Which team did you root for as child? Why did you pick No 20?:

«Toumba is special. All players there feel the impact of the fans, the heart, faith and strength conveyed by them to the team. It’s an unbelievable feeling. Mestalla is different, it’s a legendary ground. There is great support by the fans, but there can be no comparison with Toumba. I chose No 20, because I like it as number. I first picked it because it was free. I felt good sporting it, played well in it and decided to keep it. As for my favourite team? It’s always the club for which I am playing«.

Can the defence adjust to this 3-5-2 or are we up for a déjà vu of last season’s second round?

«I believe in the coach’s new mentality and tactics. Systems are not that important, whereas philosophy is. Juventus were applying these tactics for seven years and then switched. Everyone has to press and know their moves. Everything relates to the job accomplished in trainings. If a team have quality, they become stronger. That allows for a change of system if needed during a match«.

When will you be 100% ready?

«I work daily aiming to reach 100%. It’s important to learn from ones’ errors and improve with each training session. I am constantly learning. If the whole team reach their 100%, then it will be easier for us. Everybody will work as they should and there will be greater trust. Even Messi requires help from his teammates«.

Can you explain PAOK’s failure last season?

«It’s hard to speak about last season. In a span of five months we changed coach twice and our technical director was gone. Everybody should work together, united, with minimum changes. Newcomers always bring change. Stability is a good thing«.

How do you get along with the team’s younger players (Pelkas, Konstantinidis, Charisis etc.)? Do you offer them advice?

«I am trying to tell them my opinion and help them in trainings, matches and with personal issues. Our young players have great quality and need experienced players by their side. I have been playing professionally since the age of 17 and I learned a great deal from older players. I am trying to convey to the young some important things about their future. One has to work hard at trainings in order to become a great player. If one thinks only about the matches and neglects training sessions, they are destined to witness a drop in their performance. They have to lay strong foundations for their career and that can only be achieved through training«.

The Portuguese player offered the following closing statement:

«I have to leave you now and join our training. I thank you all and I am sorry that I didn’t get to answer all your queries. It was a nice experience. We expect you at Toumba on Thursday for the Brøndby IF game«.