In an exclusive interview with Foot Italia ‘The Beast’ discusses Wednesday night’s mouth-watering Champions League clash between former clubs Real Madrid and Arsenal, the shambles of the Brazilian national team and why he would have liked to have seen Pep Guardiola appointed as The Selecao manager. He also discusses Samba Boys in the Premier League and weighs in on the GOAT debate.
Question: Who are the contenders for PL player of the year and who do you think should get it?
Julio Baptista: There have been some incredible performances from players in the Premier League this season.
The one player that has really surprised me is Alexander Isak at Newcastle. I think what he has done this season has propelled him into the category of the world’s best strikers. He’s got 20 Premier League goals in 28 games – he’s been so important for them.
Haaland, although it hasn’t been a brilliant season for his club, he’s still delivered. He still scores an unbelievable amount of goals; 30 in total, 21 in the Premier League. It’s crazy to think that some people expect more from him, but he is so consistent.
But, if we’re talking about who should be the player of the season, then there is only really one name: Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. 27 goals and 18 assists in 32 games is simply unbelievable. These are remarkable numbers for a player that has been consistently excellent for Liverpool since he joined them.
It’s crazy to think that at 32, this is probably his best season in England, and he’s just signed a new contract, which is brilliant for Liverpool but bad news for their rivals because he will want to do it again next season. He has to be the player of the season in England, he has blown away the competition.
Q: Which player, club or manager is your biggest disappointment of the season so far?
Julio Baptista: Manchester City, they’re having such a difficult season. The players aren’t in good condition. We expect more from them. They have amazing players like Kevin De Bruyne, and Phil Foden, but we expected to see them doing better.
This year, they haven’t held my attention, there are teams who are outperforming while City struggle.
Arsenal
Q: With two of your former teams – Arsenal and Real Madrid – facing each other on Wednesday night, do you think Real are capable of mounting a comeback or will Arsenal secure their place in the semi-finals?
Julio Baptista: I think that now it’s a little complicated for Real Madrid to come back, but we’ve seen them overturn big deficits in the past and they have an extraordinary history in the Champions League.
Madrid faces a quite complicated challenge (to turn the game around), but if there is one team in the competition that can come back from the dead, it’s Real Madrid.
We’ve seen miracles at the Bernabeu before. Will we see another one on Wednesday night? I’m not so sure. They will be confident that they can come back – in recent years, we’ve seen them do it against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Manchester City.
I believe that Arsenal did an incredible, incredible job and so now Arsenal have every chance to get to the next round. This is a new test for them, but they’re going to Spain with confidence and rightly so.
Q: It’s new territory for so many of these players. What advice would you give them before the game and how can they silence the Bernabeu crowd?
Julio Baptista: It’s been a long time since Arsenal got this far into the Champions League. Yes, last season, they were at this stage against Bayern, but the lost…this is different. There are a lot of younger players in this Arsenal team, they don’t have the same experience or pedigree as Real Madrid, but they are learning fast.
It will be difficult for them, but they will have the right words from Mikel Arteta and I think that they can manage the situation they find themselves in. I think that the most important thing for them is: don’t lose control.
The crowd is gonna be hot! It’s a different ambience in the Champions League compared to La Liga. It’s so different. The fans for the Champions League, they are different. They feel the game more, they sing more and, of course, they support more. The players can really feel that love.
Q: The rumours are that Real would like to take William Saliba. How highly do you rate him in terms of CBs in the world and do you think he will wear the famous white jersey one day?
Julio Baptista: A lot has changed for players now. Before you get to a huge club like Real Madrid, you need to show more.
It’s not like five, ten games to show what you can do. You need to be one of the best players in the world season after season to earn the respect and the interest of a club like Real Madrid.
I think for Saliba, there is no doubt that he is one of the world’s best CBs. He’s been a big part of Arsenal’s improvement over the years and has formed a formidable partnership alongside Gabriel, but I would like to see him lift a trophy with Arsenal before he leaves.
If Saliba can keep showing that he has incredible quality, maybe we’ll see Real Madrid coming for him in the future, but he should only be thinking about winning trophies and becoming a champion with Arsenal at the moment.
Q: If Arsenal get through the second leg, do they win the whole tournament?
Julio Baptista: There are so many good teams in this stage of the competition. I believe if Arsenal get through this round, that they’ve got a great chance to get to the final.
For me, I think Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, of course, and Inter Milan, those are the last four. But it depends on what happens between Arsenal and Madrid. You have to say, if Arsenal can beat Real Madrid, then they will have the confidence to win the competition because they would have eliminated the kings of Europe. They’ve already beaten PSG in the Champions League this season, but they have improved a lot since the sides met. If you’re Arsenal and you beat Real Madrid, you have to believe that you can win the tournament.
Arsenal rumours
Q: With rumours that Partey is set to leave in the summer – would Douglas Luiz be an ideal signing, given that Juve will be open for bids this summer?
Julio Baptista: I think for Arsenal, Thomas Partey has been an incredible player. In Partey, Arteta has found a player that understands what he wants.
If I’m Arteta, I’d renew his contract but also bring in another player, and put him under a bit of pressure, make him sweat. Put a player behind him in the pecking order, who can start to understand how he plays, and what he does for the team and ease him into the action.
I know he’s older, but I believe that his age shouldn’t be a decisive factor in whether or not Arsenal give him a new deal.
Players are much fitter these days. Look at what Mo Salah is doing – you can still be a top, top player in great physical condition when you’re in your 30s.
For me, age is not a big problem. The big problem is always if the player still has the mentally to be the best at that age. The mind is the most important factor, and I think with Partey, he could still produce the good for Arsenal for a few more years.
Q: Arsenal have been linked to signing Nico Williams for a long period of time, is he ready to establish himself as a star in the Premier League?
Julio Baptista: I believe so. I think that Nico Williams would be a fantastic addition to the Premier League and the Arsenal squad.
He has had some incredible years here in Athletic Bilbao. Maybe a new step is what he needs in his career. Maybe he needs to find a club that gives him the opportunity to show that he has more to offer as a player and Arsenal could be the perfect environment for him to do that.
Arsenal is a good opportunity because Arsenal is a friendly club. Players come to Arsenal, and they’re always given the chance to show what they can do. Maybe there’s a good opportunity for him at the Emirates.
Q: As a striker, what sort of attacker do you think could be the final piece of Arsenal’s jigsaw? Any particular names?
Julio Baptista: Buying a striker, it’s not easy. I know Arsenal are looking, but so are many other clubs. There are so many clubs that are going to be shopping for a 9 this summer, but Arsenal have an advantage over a club like Manchester United for example simply because they are more stable at the moment.
People talk about Matheus Cunha, the Brazilian. He’s done incredible stuff at Wolves, so maybe he’s the player that Arsenal need. Arsenal need to take a look at him, I think. Cunha should definitely be on their short list. He has performed brilliantly in a team that has found life difficult at times this season, so you would think that at Arsenal he would score even more goals given the chances that they create and the way they dominate most games. He would also be playing with better players.
Then there’s Viktor Gyokeres, too. The boy has incredible numbers. 45 games, 44 goals, 11 assists. Arsenal are one of the teams that are supposed to be really interested in him, and I can see why. I think the new Sporting Director Andrea Berta really likes him; he was on his radar when he was the Sporting Director at Atletico Madrid.
If I’m Arteta, I’m moving for one of those two. I think it’s really important that Arsenal bring in a striker that is coming off the back of a great season and is full of confidence. They need a player to join them who has that aura about them and is ready to complete the side.
Q: Can Mikel Arteta bring sustained success to Arsenal?
Julio Baptista: After Arsene Wenger, he’s the longest-serving coach. He understands the club more than other coaches, and he gives the club good results and stability.
In the past, Edu was the Sporting Director who gave him support. And both did incredible, incredible work for Arsenal. Now there is a new man in the role and you would hope that Arteta and Berta can strike up a similar type of relationship.
When you look at Berta’s pedigree, I think Arsenal fans should be confident about the future of their club.
Arteta has transformed Arsenal. He’s got them on the right path; they’re a big club, a strong club, and under Arteta, Arsenal can fight for any title. I think it just a matter of time before they win a trophy. It’s getting the little, small details right, and Berta will be able to help him with that. There’s no doubt that Arteta is an incredible coach, now he just needs the titles to confirm it to the world.
Real Madrid
Q: If Real Madrid are knocked out, could Carlo Ancelotti be sacked before the end of the season?
Julio Baptista: Of course. Madrid is a club that always needs to be in touch with the titles, and if you can’t lift those titles, you’re toast as a manager at the Bernabeu. When that doesn’t happen, people always look at who’s in the hotseat. Ancelotti has done an incredible job, but if they only win the Copa del Rey, these titles aren’t always enough to satisfy the demands of Real Madrid.
I would be really surprised if they fired Carlo if he gets knocked out of the Champions League against Arsenal. I can’t see them making changes before the end of the season, and Carlo has a contract until 2026.
Ancelotti’s future depends on what happens this season. Madrid has important things to do, they have difficult work to do.
Q: Who do you think should replace Ancelotti this summer?
Julio Baptista: Here in Spain, I think the people heard a few rumours. Xabi Alonso, maybe, he could be the one that comes in if the club decides that it wants to appoint a new manager.
I think that Real are looking towards the younger generation of coaches. It’s not clear who Real Madrid are going to consider. If Carlo does leave – and it’s not certain – then maybe Xabi Alonso could be the next man in the hot seat.
Q: Which Real Madrid players do you think can lead the side to an all-time UCL comeback?
Julio Baptista: I think for Real Madrid, there are always big players that are ready to step up and make a mark on the game. Madrid have players that can and have won games on their own with a moment of magic.
Mbappé, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius, these are the names that Carol Ancelotti will be looking to produce something special. For sure, Federico Valverde as well. He always steps up in the big games.
It won’t be easy for Real Madrid. Arsenal has incredible players. Bukayo Saka, Martinelli, Thomas Partey. We’re going to see an incredible game.
Q: Was Vinicius Junior robbed of the Ballon d’Or?
Julio Baptista: I wouldn’t say he was robbed, but I do think he deserved it more than Rodri. For me, in that year, I think had the most impact on Real Madrid, he won trophies, and he was vital in every action of the team. He scored lots of goals, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. For me, I think Vini deserved it more.
Maybe Rodri deserved it the year before, when City won three titles in a row, and he scored in the final.
It’s difficult, there are so many different factors for how people select the player. But I think that Vini, this year, he wants the FIFA The Best award.
So let’s see for next year, but I don’t believe that this year he can get that Ballon d’Or, because this year could be more about Mbappé or other players like Raphinha.
Strikers
Q: Is Victor Osimhen suited to the Premier League?
Julio Baptista: Of course. He’s an incredible striker. 33 games this year, 29 goals. He’s a very, very good player, but he needs to find a team that plays with his style. He needs to find a team playing a little closer to his approach. Sometimes this is a big problem. Sometimes players don’t think a lot about finding the perfect club for their abilities.
For example, he’s been linked with Manchester United, but is he going to get the chances there? I have my doubts about that.
It’s a little bit difficult because Osimhen needs to think very carefully about the system the coach plays of the club that he joins. If they put you in the team, it has to work. This is the work for the agents now, but the player needs to pay attention too, which is why I would have doubts about Manchester United.
They need to look a lot at how this club plays, if they care about if they have the ball or not, what the movement is, what the coach is asking for the striker.
But I believe that he’s prepared. He’s in good form, is in shape, and he scored a lot of goals, so we’ll see.
Q: Matheus Cunha has been strongly linked to Manchester United. Has he got the personality to go into the club and be the leader they’re clearly missing?
Julio Baptista: Matheus Cunha is an incredible player. Things didn’t work out at Atletico Madrid, but sometimes you need to go about things in a different way, take a different path. Many clubs are looking at him right now, so he just needs to keep doing what he’s doing.
He’s doing incredible work, having a great season. If he moves to a big club now, he will show his full potential.
I love his personality. Some players have been weighed down by the weight of the Manchester United shirt, I don’t think that Cunha is one of those players. I think he would love to have the responsibility of being the main man at a giant club like Manchester United.
Ballon d’Or
Q: Raphinha is the favourite. Do you think he deserves it?
Julio Baptista: This year, there is no doubt that Raphinha is a contender for the Ballon d’Or. But like mopst years, the winner normally comes from a team that does well in the Champions League.
Barcelona are doing really well there, but if Real Madrid beat Arsenal and win the competition then maybe Mbappe gets his hands on the Ballon d’Or.
I don’t see one player that is streets ahead of the others. Maybe we need to wait and see which teams meet in the final. If Barcelona get to the final, if Barcelona wins, maybe Rafinha, he has been incredible in the Champions League and scored a lot of goals this year. He’s having an incredible season, more in the Champions League than La Liga. But if other teams succeed in the Champions League, then it could be another player.
Strikers
Q: Is Cristiano Ronaldo or Brazilian Ronaldo the better striker?
Julio Baptista: Both players have been special at different times of their careers. Of course, in terms of longevity, you can’t argue with Cristiano, but in terms of quality, and from what I saw from the Brazilian Ronaldo before his injury – I never saw a player who did what Ronaldo did in the past. What he was doing deserves incredible respect, it was really insane.
I must give it to my countryman.
Q: In your opinion, who is the GOAT and why?
Julio Baptista: Football fans are always talking about who was the best. But both have done incredible things. If Messi didn’t exist, I don’t think Cristiano would be inspired to achieve what he did. Maybe the other way around, too. Maybe Messi needed that same competition to propel him. I believe Messi has more natural talent, but Cristiano built his career.
I believe that both are still doing incredible, incredible work.
If I had to choose, then I think you need to consider the fact that it more difficult for Cristiano. Cristiano won the best player in the world playing at Manchester United. He won the Champions League playing for Manchester United, which was a little more difficult.
Messi, he has my respect, but he played for one club, Barcelona. I would like and would have loved to have seen Messi at many different clubs, to know what he can do. Yes he went to PSG, but it wasn’t really the same thing, and now he is in the MLS.
Messi was always with good players, but Cristiano played in so many different places. So for me, what Cristiano was doing was more difficult than what Messi did. Ronaldo has more variety on his CV and I think that he should be applauded for that and rewarded as the GOAT too.
Brazil
Q: Thoughts on Brazil’s World Cup qualification stumbles? Are you worried about qualifying for the tournament?
Julio Baptista: I think we’ll get there, but right now, it’s one of the worst moments for the national team and the Confederation. If you don’t invest in the game, you don’t have a good foundation for your team. We’re struggling, because football moves so fast.
The Spanish have the organisation to produce so many good coaches, Portugal send out so many to the world. They have the basis, the culture, they prepare.
Brazil seems to have frozen in time. They need to change direction, and the confederation needs to give stability and vision.
It’s complicated, we have had three coaches this year. It’s complicated for the national team. I don’t think we’ve ever had so many managers in quick succession. Three coaches in one season, and you need time to prepare for the World Cup.
Q: Is Neymar still good enough to go to the World Cup?
Julio Baptista: Why not? He’s our best player in the national team, so we need to find a place for him. Maybe he’ll play at the next World Cup. I believe that he has the opportunity to try to win something for Brazil. I hope he can do something big for Brazil.
Q: Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti have both been linked with the Brazil job, but it looks like Jorge Jesus will become the first foreign manager to manage Brazil. What are your thoughts on his appointment and is it a bit underwhelming compared to Pep and Ancelotti.
Julio Baptista: Jesus will be the first foreign manager that Brazil have ever had. I think the fans, they believe that Guardiola was the best man for the job, because he sees football in a similar way to when we were at our best.
I would have loved to have seen Brazil go and get Guardiola. I think that it could have happened as well because which manager wouldn’t love the opportunity to coach Brazil and take them to a World Cup.
Guardiola has the passion and the style the fans love. I know that he is at Manchester City, but I think that it’s a pity we didn’t try and get him.
Jesus is a great coach, but he doesn’t give the people the same feeling as Guardiola would have done.
Perhaps because we’re struggling the Confederation had to move quickly. Maybe if they were a bit patient, we could have been talking about Guardiola or possibly Ancelotti managing the Selecao.
Q: Is there a reason that Brazil does not produce as many superstars as they did 20 years ago?
Julio Baptista: I don’t know, but it’s not easy, it’s not easy. In the Premier League, they now bring a lot of Brazilian players. I believe that Chelsea have the big names from Brazil, Estevao Willian and others. So Brazilian football is going to be a bit different, because a lot of players are leaving earlier.
It’s going to be harder, different times in Brazil. Clubs there don’t invest in their younger players in the same way. We need to reconfigure everything and do a lot of work in different areas. I think Brazil needs to work out what to do now and in the future, so that players can keep impressing. Perhaps some of our young players leave Brazil too early and disappear. Perhaps we need to do more to reinvest the money we get for these younger players in player development.
Q: What were the biggest lessons from your career transition from player to coach? And what advice would you give to the new generation of Brazilian athletes?
Julio Baptista: You have to prepare. You need a good foundation, that’s crucial. I got my licence in Spain and learned a lot. That’s my base. If I need to move to a different country, I think I’ve learned the most in the centre of world football.
I spent the last decade learning about football in different ways. You don’t only need to know how they play in Spain, but being here, the standard is so high for coaching. The youth teams have such excellent coaching. Everyone learns a lot.
I’ve had a great experience, working in the league for five years, I passed the whole process. I think as a player who wants to be a coach, you need to pass your knowledge onto younger players. It helps you learn to adapt to management. I know more than I did in the past, I have more control. You need that experience and control to get to the top.
Brazilian football clubs
Q: Should a Brazilian side sign Pogba for the CWC?
Julio Baptista: Yeah, why not? He’s an incredible player. His football is very similar to what the players play in Brazil. I believe if he goes there, maybe he can play his best football again, because sometimes players lose a little bit of the focus, and maybe what he needs is to rediscover his confidence, so maybe Brazil can be a good place for him to rediscover his best football.
I think he would have a great time playing in Brazil. It’s an experience that more and more European players are doing at the moment. He would be a star in the Brazilian league.
Q: What can Chelsea expect from Estevao Willian and Denner Evangelista?
Julio Baptista: Estevao could be the best thing to come out of Brazil since Neymar. They way he makes decisions in small moments in the match, it’s amazing. He has incredible quality, and I can’t wait to see him in the Premier League.
It will be hard, but at Chelsea, I have a friend there, Enzo Maresca. Chelsea has one of the youngest teams in Europe, and he’s working with them so well.
I think Estevao can succeed at Chelsea, he has the chance to do something huge with his incredible talent.
Brazilians in the Premier League
Q: How highly do you rate the Joelinton Bruno combination in the Newcastle midfield? And why are so many Brazilian players like those two suited to the Premier League?
Julio Baptista: They are very good players. I think the kind of players that Brazil are sending to Europe has changed. Now, it’s not just technical quality, it’s physical strength and pace too. These two, they have great technical ability, but they also have the strength to succeed in the Premier League.
Players now need to know what is required of the country they’re going to. Going from the south of Brazil to the north of England, it’s a huge change. Players need time to settle into the club and the country, and the city they’re in.
If the clubs give them the right support, the players will meet their potential. I think that’s what Newcastle have done for these guys. We want more Brazilians to do as well as they have.
Q: João Pedro has been linked with a big-money move to Liverpool. How highly do you rate him and do you think he is ready to play for a club that competes in the Champions League?
Julio Baptista: He’s 23, he’s got 10 goals. That’s not easy to do in the Premier League, in 26 appearances. But you need to see more from him to be sure. He needs to show that he’s a player who can keep at this level.
If he can continue to be an important player and improve, he has an incredible future ahead of him.
It’s great that the big clubs are looking at him and I think he could make the step-up, but he’s still young. I would say to him to keep working, hone your skills at Brighton playing in a team that plays good, exciting football, and if you keep doing what you’ve done this season, the big teams will come in the future.
Other
Q: Danilo at Rangers, he’s the only Brazilian playing in Scotland. Should more Brazilian players consider moving to Scotland as their first port of call when in Europe or does the cold weather out them off?
Julio Baptista: You only need to look at what Bruno and Joelinton are doing in Newcastle to see that Brazilians can adapt to any climate! Going from the south of Brazil to the north of England, it’s a huge change. Players need time to settle into the club and the country, and the city they’re in.
If the clubs give them the right support, the players will meet their potential. There are some big clubs in Scotland, and Rangers and Celtic are the two. Danilo is there with Rangers and he’s performing well, but I would say that more Brazilians could follow in his footsteps and give Scotland a try.
They have beaches up there, but they are a little bit colder than what we’re used too! I think this generation of Brazilian players that is coming through can adapt to any environment. Scotland could be a great place for a Brazilian player to launch a European career.
Q: What chance do you give Rangers of going to Bilbao and getting a result in the Europa League?
Julio Baptista: I believe that Bilbao has an incredible coach in Valverde. He’s doing an incredible job.
He brings many, many young players to the first team. He understands the culture of the club and the fans. When they play at home, they’re so difficult – the fans are their 12th man. We’ll have to wait and see, because the club will be desperate to get through to the next round. I think it will be a huge challenge for Rangers to beat them, but anything can happen in football, but they have picked up some big away results in the competition over the years.
