First team

CARRIÇO: “I'M A SEVILLISTA. THE FANS MAKE YOU LIVE THESE COLOURS”

21/09/2017

The defender was the star of the 'A Balón Parado' show this Thursday on SFC TV

Daniel Carriço was the guest on this Thursday's 'A Balón Parado' SFC TV show this Thursday. He went over his time at Sevilla FC, as well as 'exciting' (as he put it) start to the season Eduardo Berizzo's side has made. "The start has been exciting, 13 points out of 15. This Saturday we have another challenge, but we go with the hope to come away with three points."

"It's nice for them to want you, but they want me here much more"

His start has also involved the signing of a contract renewal - which extends his contract with Sevilla FC until 2020: "I'm very happy to carry on at Sevilla FC, very happy. There's a lot left for me to do at this club. There were teams interested in having me, but my priority was always Sevilla FC. I'm grateful to the clubs for their interest, because it's nice for them to want you, but they want me here much more."

"The affinity I have for this club is huge"

He continued: "That day was really special because I signed for a club that has given me everything in my career. I've won my most important titles here and the affinity I have for this club is huge. I feel like one more Sevillista. You start to feel that as soon as you arrive here, because it's a special club. You step onto the field and there's chemistry with the fans, they make you live the colours. After what I've lived through here, I'm a Sevillista."

"Sevilla FC has changed my life, it has made me feel like an important footballer"

And since July 2013, when Carriço landed in Sevilla, the defender admitted he has "has grown in footballing and personal terms. Sevilla has changed my life, it made me feel like an important footballer and has given me the opportunity to play in the best league in the world. Since signing I feel like a better person, a better footballer and very grateful to Sevilla."

He could have left this summer, but one phone-call changed everything: "Immediately after arriving Berizzo called me personally and told me he was counting on me. It calmed me down. It was important for me because I was on holiday and you never know what the future is going to hold. Berizzo is a very familiar guy, very open, he tries to get everyone feeling active in the squad. We're doing well at the start of this season because everyone is connected and ready to go."

On an individual level, he spoke about having not picked up as many minutes as he would have liked last season: "You have to be positive in hard times. Keep growing and enjoying this profession. And in the first match I felt very loose, the team did very well. We've won against Eibar and Girona without conceding. The team is on a good track and the wins give us a lot of confidence."

Asked about what it feels like to run onto the Sánchez-Pizjuán field, Carriço couldn't put it into words: "This stadium is something else, it's a sensation you can't explain, you have to live it. And I feel very proud to have lived it these past years." In said years, Carriço has been the only player in the squad to play every minute of the three UEFA Europa League finals the Nervionenses played in 2014, 2015 and 2016. If he had to choose one? Carriço was clear: "The first was possibly the most special, also because we played in Benfica against Sporting, which is my team in Portugal. It was also the most intense, it was a struggle, you didn't know what it was going to be like."

"You can always do something special in the Copa del Rey"

Looking ahead, the Portuguese centre-back clarified the aims for the season: "It's very difficult when you're in this league, the best in the world with the Premier League, but we're going to try to be up there and fight for all we can. In the Champions League we'll try to go as far as possible and in the Copa del Rey you can always do something special. It escaped up once, let's see if we conquer it."