Okay. I have to say that I knew a little bit where to put my feet. I had been there before, I knew the environment… The hardest part was the language. When you arrive and you don't speak Portuguese, it's difficult. There are a lot of Brazilians in the team who also have a different dialect. But other than that, it was very easy to adapt. It's nice to live here, it's quiet. Although I suffered a little bit from the heat in the first two weeks. But honestly, I like it. I feel good, I'm in good shape. The mood is nice and the people are calm. After Guingamp, after 10 years, I needed to try something else.
How were you received?
The club's community managers took me under their wing. They found me an apartment, took care of the paperwork. They managed the logistics and administration. My car was returned from France. I was immediately able to focus solely on football.
How does the coach give you instructions?
In the field, he gives instructions only in Portuguese. At first, an assistant came to see me to translate into English. But now, after a month and a half, I no longer need it. I can understand the general outlines of what the coaches mean. I don't speak very well yet but I have some ideas. As for the exercises, they are more practical.
And with your teammates?
When I arrived, I was the only French person. But there was a Luxembourger with me. He had been there for five years and knew everything by heart. He helped me a lot. Since then another Frenchman (Issika Kamati) has arrived. I am not alone anymore. It is good to speak French from time to time.
I arrived to play in central defence and a week later the coach moved me to midfield. I wondered what was going on. I even told myself that he didn't count on me. But over time, he showed me that he trusted me. My first two games in midfield allowed me to adapt to the championship and the intensity. In fact, after the scheduled departure to the central office, I logically went back. At least I was able to show that I had double hats.
How is it different from France?
The conditions are indeed. Because of the heat, the ground is drier. The infrastructures are also different. But there is everything to do well. The peculiarity is that there are a lot of clubs in this area of Portugal. Sometimes, there are only 30 minutes by bus to play on the go. Apart from Santa Clara and Madeira, which are two islands, the journeys are not long. Lisbon is three hours by bus.
Is football different?
I find it. In France, Ligue 2 is very physical. In Portugal, it's also sporty, but they shoot the ball more quickly. Even tactically, they are very good here, the coaches work a lot. Sometimes, in a session, you can spend an hour just on set pieces. And on a technical level, there are very good players, especially the Brazilians. It's difficult to make a comparison but I would say that in this aspect, it's a little bit higher here. It's top class so it attracts a lot of players. In Ligue 1, I had the feeling that some teams play not to lose. Here, there are sometimes very open games. It's a different kind of football.
How does it feel to no longer be the little kid training at the club?
It was strange to arrive at the club and be relied upon straight away. At Guingamp, I started from scratch at the beginning of every season. I had to prove myself all the time to be legitimate. Here I am a beginner. The coach wanted me. In the first four games he showed me that he trusts me. It is different and I feel comfortable.
What about dating madness?
There are four or five big clubs: Porto, Benfica, Guimarães, Braga, Sporting. They have big stadiums that are always full. Against Guimarães, at home, last week, there were between 5,000 and 6,000 fans in our 8,000-seat stadium. What makes our club special is that it was previously based in the south of the country. But the investor who arrived needed the club to be in the north to continue its activity. So the head office and the club moved with him. That explains why there are often only a thousand spectators here. But that is not a problem. I went there to have a new experience, to discover another championship and to have a clear vision. Portugal is also a model.
