First team

ANDRÉ SILVA: 'A FOOTBALLER WITH CONFIDENCE CAN DO GREAT THINGS '

02/10/2018

'To score against Real Madrid was very special for me, it was my mum's birthday and it really moved me to hear everyone in our stadium singing the anthem,' explained the Portuguese

André Silva, Sevilla's striker, who is currently leading the league's goalscoring chart, visited the SFC Radio studios to take part in the programme Sólo en Sevilla and spoke about a variety of topics both about football and his personal life: 'I didn't expect to have scored seven goals already and the team to be doing so well. I like to think positively but this was beyond my imagination. I have to thank the people for their support because they trust in me and they show it every day. There are people who thought that I wouldn't be able to help the team when I came. I think the most important thing for a footballer is their head because you can do great things when you have confidence,' explained Silva.

'When I had the opportunity to come here I didn't have to think about it twice because the way Sevilla play with the ball suits me. People told me great things about the fans, who support their players better than anyone and you can see that when you're out on the pitch. I had a lot of help from Carriço who is Portuguese like me,' said the forward.

'I couldn't have imagined scoring seven goals in seven matches when I arrived here'

Speaking about what Pablo Machín demands both from the team and André Silva himself, the Portuguese commented that 'the coach tells me to be as I am, keep fighting all the time. Having so many good players as we do in the team helps us to play better football and allows the strikers to have more chances. I have a good understanding with Ben Yedder, I've already played in a similar set-up with Portugal and Porto, Machín demands that the strikers help the rest of the team to press and to defend.'

On the more personal side of the player, the Portuguese defines himself as a family-orientated person and explained what he does in his free time: 'I'm someone who is very close to his family and being here in Seville, I am much closer to them than in Milan and I can see them more often. I've been to the Plaza de España, the cathedral and I've had a walk around the centre. I spend my days with my family, playing on the Play-Station and I have a basketball hoop in my house if I want to do more sport.'

'I have a good understanding with Ben Yedder, I've already played in a similar set-up with Portugal and Porto'

For André Silva, the day against Real Madrid was very special: To score against Real Madrid at our home was incredible, I felt something different. It was my mum's birthday and I got very emotional when I scored the goals. This ground is something different, Everyone speaks about the anthem and the fans and it's something spectacular.'

Finally, The Portuguese joked about who has surprised him the most in the team and the number that he chose to wear on his shirt: 'Jesús Navas has surprised me a lot. He runs so much and he never stops, he doesn´t get tired. When I chose number 12 people spoke to me about Kanouté because he scored a lot of goals here and I hope that I am fortunate enough to score as many as he did.'