Pepe, ex defence of the Real Madrid, converted during a lot of years in public enemy of the FC Barcelona by his aggressive game and statements out of tone. It was a period of big crispación between the two big of LaLiga, but of this already have happened quite a lot of years. Now the Portuguese defence plays in the Port wine -club of the that proceeded when it arrived to Santiago Bernabéu- and spoke of his white past in an interview in the newspaper Expresso of Portugal.
In the first place, Pepe explained that there were several teams interested in him before the Real Madrid. "Ufff... My signing by the Real Madrid? All was very fast, but in fact could have me gone before, but no to the Madrid, but to the Sportive The Coruña, at the end of my first year in Port wine. The president Paint gives Coast said me: 'No, no, no, by no means, you will remain you more here in the FC Carry'. But the press followed writing some things and Jorge Mendes said me others: 'there is a club of England interested, is this another...' You know? And what more played, more clubs appeared", explained.
Act followed, explained his signing by the Real Madrid. "In the third year renewed by other five and at the end of season arrived the proposal of the Real Madrid, although had other opportunities. And had many win of the Real Madrid, although a lot of people said me that it was crazy for going there, because it was very difficult and, especially, because it was a cemetery of head offices. In this moment, the Real Madrid had a gap to fill from the exit of Iron and I wanted this challenge. Still they tried that I went to another side, but I always was very direct: "Real does not want to? It does not pay to the FC Carry? If it does all this then, is fact", commented.
Pepe was, then, known like the central of the 30 millions. "I cost 30 million euros and coming of a championship like the Portuguese... The Spanish press is much harder that the Portuguese, this guarantee it [laughs]. My signing was like this: I left the concentration of the Port wine, bought clothes in the airport and when I arrived to T4 of Madrid had a lot of journalists expecting me. Jorge Mendes warned me: "When salts by the door, go to have a lot of people to your side, give me your bag". I gave him to Jorge my bag, that remember that it was a bag of shoulder, opened the door and the journalists did me the first question: "Pepe, Pepe, bring the 30 millions in this bag?" It hears, it did not know what say; I Felt a small push in the back and to Jorge say: "we Go, we go, you do not speak". Pfff .. "The 30 millions? You that create? It did not know to speak Spanish. Then, yes, it was difficult [laughs]", explained the defence.
"They called me crazy for going to a cemetery of head offices... And I found me a chaos"
Shortly after arriving, Pepe suffered the bad character of a consecrated Fabio Cannavaro. "Well, now I can them say this, because they have happened a lot of years and are fellow: it happened with Cannavaro. In the pre-season practically did not speak, only trained and looked, because I am very observant. That was work and more work. Then, we went in the aeroplane to Austria and sucedió that he seated in front of me; It pillé reading a magazine and, when I darse that it had finish and that the aeroplane went to land, put me brave and said him: "Cannavaro, Cannavaro [speaking in a low voice], can give me the magazine?". And Cannavaro looked to backwards and said me: "Cannavaro? My name is Fabio ". And it turned away me. I did not know what say. They were second, maybe minutes, but this seemed an eternity, until it gave me the magazine", sentenced.
In his starts, Pepe remained perplejo by the tactical disorder in the Real Madrid. "My first party was against the Athletic of Madrid. I came of a club organised tácticamente, in which if the ball goes out by the left side, have to presionarla there, if the ball goes out by the right side, presionas of this way, things like this, basic. And what found in the Madrid was a chaos. In the minute 30 breaks the game and arrive us in one for one and run for backwards. I go back me to Fabio and say him: "Fabio! Fabio! Coverage, coverage!!!". And he says me: "No, no, here it does not do this. Each one by his side". And I: "it Is like this? Fuck!" I looked and saw to the sides up, to the defensive pivote up... And I thought: "What? Fifty metres to my backs and am here to do a one against one?" Afterwards I thought that calm, that would do it well. Little by little I was conquering status. The one who played in the Real Madrid, in this moment [2007-08, with the technical Bernd Schuster and players as they go Nistelrooy, Robben, Sneijder, Raúl and Higuaín], had to listen to the fans shouting goals, because the 2-0 was not sufficient; it was necessary to mark four, five, six goals and backwards only remained the central and the goalkeeper", explained.
Pepe also spoke on the pressure and the egos of the changing room. "It was not an easy changing room. There, all are players of selection of high level. And therefore, all are important, no only these eleven headlines. But it is a brutal pressure: if you win, the things go well, remain you in the team and in the club; if you do not win you go you, another player goes in in your place and smart. If you do not have performance, have to others expecting that they want your place to tighten; so you always have to be to a high level", signalled.
Also it spoke on the period of José Mourinho. "Mourinho came to the Real Madrid to win The Tenth, because this was the only that mattered. The alone club wanted the Champions, the championship was secondary. Mourinho brought a lot of illusion, because it had won the Champions with the Inter of Milan in the Bernabéu, and also a lot of organisation and finish doing three good years with him: we win a League, a Glass of Rey, but could not win the Champions", said, adding that with the technician luso "all is fixed, resolved, do not have any problem with the Míster. I admire it by the work that does, are situations that happened and already is".
Ancelotti Wanted that it played the final of Champions League lesionado
Pepe explained that Carlo Ancelotti wanted to infiltrate him in a final. "I had suffered an injury in Valladolid and, if you remember, Diego Coast had gone to do some treatment out of Spain. I did not go to any place, know my body, and decided that when it arrived the moment of the last training, would say him to my trainer if it was well or no. During 15 or 20 days did not train, only did treatments and treatments and on the eve of the final, already in Lisbon, said him to Ancelotti: 'Mister, still hurts me'. And he: 'we Expect a bit more, afterwards we will see", it said.
"The next day, I went back to feel this pain and darse that it went me to lose the final. "Míster Does not give me", said him "do not want to go in only to be in the photo? You deserve it to you, man ", said me. "Míster, imagine that go in, me lesiono and has to burn an acting therefore. I do not need to play the final to feel me winning of the Champions...". I said him. Cris also was there and Ancelotti said suddenly "Already win this party!". And Cris: "Mister... Calm" And Ancelotti: "you Want to bet with me? Already we win this ". Casualidad Or no, in the minute 93, Sergio Bouquets advances , marks the golito, go to the extention and win the Champions", sentenced.