“I don’t like people comparing me to Mahrez,” says Savinho

The Etihad Stadium is set to ignite this weekend as Premier League leaders Liverpool clash with Manchester City in a highly anticipated showdown.

Arne Slot’s side, acutely aware of Arsenal’s relentless pursuit, understands that victory is paramount, having dropped points against Aston Villa in the week.

City, equally driven to solidify their Champions League aspirations, will be determined to disrupt Liverpool’s title charge.

Ahead of the game, Showmax chatted to new City signing Savinho. The Brazilian prodigy opens up about his dream move to the Premier League and shares insights into his remarkable journey from promising youth talent to rising star in Brazilian football.

The game, which will be shown live on Showmax Premier League, takes place on Sunday, 23 February at 18:30.

What has the experience been like for you since arriving in Manchester? It was your dream to play in the Premier League, right?
It’s been incredible, even though we’ve been on an inconsistent run of form, but it’s a dream come true to be here at Manchester City. I was chosen to be here, to play in the Premier League. I’m really very happy to be here, I want to help Manchester City a lot. I want to adapt well to the team so that I can help my teammates on the pitch.

When you were little, did you ever imagine you’d come this far?
No, I didn’t, because it happened so fast. Things have always happened fast for me. I started playing professionally when I was 16; and then at 18 I was already in Europe. And then two years after that, I started at Manchester City. So, I can only thank God because things have happened really quickly in my life, but I could never imagine I’d be here.

How would you describe growing up in São Mateus?
I’m proud of everything I lived through and of what I still feel whenever I’m there. I’m very happy to have come from this city, I’m glad my family are from there. I’m looking forward to seeing them again. I miss them very much.

How was your childhood there? Did you play football, did you go to school?
I did everything, I helped my grandparents, I played football every day at 5pm with my friends. From the afternoon to the evening. And I did what I liked, I rode horses, I really enjoyed helping my uncle milk the cows. I woke up really early to help my uncle. I’m really glad about the childhood I had. I have no problems talking about it, I’m not ashamed of it, I’m very proud of it, and I look forward to doing those things when I’m on holidays there.

Your friends played with you on a field, and you’re now at Manchester City. Incredible, right?
They can hardly believe it. They ask for shirts, things like that, and when I go back I also want to see them all again. I don’t play football with them anymore. The only thing I don’t do in the countryside when I go back is play football, because I’m afraid I might get injured. I only train with my physio and that’s it.

How did your career start, from playing in the countryside until now?
Without wanting to boast, I think everyone saw a quality in my game. I’ve always played with older people, even when I was a kid. And I stood out and people said I had talent and all that, and said it to my mother, and we ended up going to Vitória [Espírito Santo] in search of the dream. I went to live in Vitória, it was very hard leaving the countryside because it was all I knew; I cried a lot, but I had to chase my dream.

How old were you when you went to Vitória?
I must have been six or seven. Six, I think, when I started playing beach football, too. I started in beach football. When I arrived in Vitória, I went to the beach, I was getting to know the city, I had just arrived there, our things had arrived with the moving truck. I picked up my bike and I cycled to the beach. When I got there, it was early evening, and a beach football session for kids was taking place, and I asked them if there were places left; the class was almost over. They could have said, “sign up today and come tomorrow to play,” But instead, he said, “go out there and start playing,”. And he liked me immediately, and he also had an 11-a-side football school, not just beach football, so I signed up for 11-a-side and beach football.

Then you carried on playing. When did you notice it was starting to happen for you?
When I started playing 11-a-side football, I think people really liked me a lot. I didn’t even pay to join the school. I stopped paying fees because the owner saw that my level was pretty high, so he said I didn’t need to pay, I only had to train and play, and I was very happy. That’s when I really started to show my skills.

And you ended up at Atlético Mineiro. How did that happen?
The team I was playing for Santa Cruz played a match at Atlético’s ground. We went there for a match against Cruzeiro and against Atlético. And I was a little kid playing against the older guys. Class of 2004 playing against the class of 2001, 2002. And Atlético liked me and told me to come back, so I grabbed my bag and returned.

Do you remember your first match as a professional?
I do. It was an away game against [Atlético Clube] Goianiense. Thankfully, it was a moment of great joy, but personally, I think it was the most exhausting game in my life. I played for 15 minutes, but I don’t know, maybe because it was my debut, 16 years old, I was super tired, my legs were sore, my calves. 15 minutes! I played 15 minutes. I was exhausted, but it was really good.

And do you remember your time in the first team?
It was very difficult for me to play for the Atlético first team. The change of coaches also affected me; Sampaoli gave me a chance to play, but then Cuca [Alexi Stival] came in, who opted to pick other players, and I understand because there were several more seasoned players on higher wages and they all had to play.

What was it like going to Europe? Do you remember finding out there was interest in you?
Yes, I remember it to this day. It was hard saying goodbye and all that because we make friends and they leave a mark on you. Although I was young, I hadn’t achieved much, but I left a legacy of the person I was, the fun person I was, and the football I played.

What was your first experience of Europe like?
It was tough, very difficult. I don’t regret going to PSV at all. If I’m at Manchester City today it’s because PSV played their part in it. It was a struggle at PSV, the cold weather, the language, but I really liked playing for PSV, I made a lot of friends there, Brazilian friends, Dutch such as Xavi Simons. I don’t regret anything about going to PSV. Then suddenly, Girona emerged. I went to the U-20 World Cup, and before the tournament, my agent talked to me and said that World Cup was going to be very important to me, because everyone would be watching and I hardly got a game at PSV that season. So, I went to the U-20 World Cup with a lot of focus. I told my wife I was going to play my best because I wanted to go to a Spanish team. I told her, “I want to play in Spain”.

Why do you think you came straight into the City team?
It’s thanks to Girona that I’m now at City. My teammates, the coaches helped me get here. Of course, I am the player who is out there on the pitch, but I got my confidence at Girona; my teammates and coach there led me to here.

When was the first time you heard that Manchester City was interested in you?
Just so you know, I really wanted to stay at Girona for at least one more season. As you see, my decision-making is complex. Unbelievable. My family was thinking: “City wants you, and you want to stay at Girona?” I was at the Copa América, and my agent told me that [Pep] Guardiola wanted to call me. He calls, gives me confidence, tells me he wants me in the team, and as crazy as I am, as crazy as I think I am to this day, I told my family that if he were to call me again, I’d never repeat what I did. I told him, “coach, I already have an answer, but I need to think it over again, and I ’Il get back to you.” He went, “fine, I’m on holidays as well, no problem”. I thought to myself: “god, it’s Manchester City.” I left my room, went to dinner with the Brazil team and started asking questions to Marquinhos, Danilo, the experienced players. Danilo had even played here, so I asked Danilo, “what do you think? It’s Manchester City, should I stay or should I go?” Danilo goes, “you are kidding me, aren’t you? Manchester City is the top, lad. You are going to reach the top. At age 19.” After that, I went back to my room and said to myself, “I want to call Guardiola. I’ve made my decision.”

What was your arrival here like?
It was great. The group here is wonderful. Everybody here has won titles. Pep made me feel very welcome on the first day. It was pre-season, so only a few players were here and the others were on holidays, but I was warmly received. I feel more part of the group now, but I was warmly received on day one.

What’s the day-to-day routine like with Pep, and what do you think you’ve already learnt from him?
I’ve been learning lots of things from him. I scored plenty of goals at Girona They demanded a lot from me, the manager demanded a lot from me. Here, Pep is also demanding. I’ve been working on my shooting to score more goals. As a forward, I can’t simply expect our striker to score all the goals.

How was your first goal against Leicester City? Were you under pressure? Do you remember what you felt at that moment? Relief? Joy?
I felt relieved because it’s tough. We see things on the internet. People criticise you. 25 matches, 0 goals. Some people compare you to other players. It’s tough, but I’ve never let those things bother me. I’ve been playing well since I arrived. Whenever I play, I put in a performance. I help the club in one way or another. So, those things don’t bother me, and have only served to demand more from myself.

What about your assists to Erling Haaland? It seems you’ve developed an understanding. How has the partnership been so far?
His runs make it very easy to provide him an assist. It’s only a matter of whoever has the ball to play in a good pass to him. I tell my family that it needs to be “a pass from a friend”. It’s not about just putting the ball into the box. It needs to be a pass that you know will help him to score, almost like putting the ball on a silver plate for him. I don’t speak English, he doesn’t speak Portuguese. I just tell him to make a run – and I won’t tell you which run. I’ve told my family, but I’ve never told Haaland, nor [Kevin] de Bruyne, nor Bernardo Silva, nor Ederson, nor all those that have been here for a while, like Rúben Dias, I’ve never told them how important they are to me.

I’m with them, but they don’t know how much I look up to all of them. Not long ago, I played with them in my video games when I was at Atlético. I used to play Champions League against PSG at our friend’s home. I was watching them on a screen and now I’m here with them.

Why have you chosen number 26 at City?
Because of [Riyad] Mahrez. I don’t like people comparing me to him. Mahrez has his qualities, he was a great Man City player, I have mine as well. Some people say we are similar, but I think it’s just that he plays his way, I play my way, but yes, I chose it because of him. I’ve always looked up to him because we play on the same wing. He is very skillful, an extraordinary shooter and goal scorer.

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