Rafael: Time to step up in the FA Cup Manchester United right-back Rafael answers our questions ahead of Sundays FA Cup third round tie at Yeovil... Are you looking forward to a new experience when United play away in the cup at Yeovil? Yes, it’s always good when you feel different things. I’ve never been to Yeovil and when I asked a friend how far away it is, he said: ‘It’s far, far from here’ even though it’s a small country! It will be nice to go there and see a different pitch. We’ll go there to win the game of course. It’s been a long time since we won the FA Cup and I think we should now step up. We always take it seriously and we want to win it, so we’re going for it, I’m sure. The FA Cup is a special competition for players who watched it on TV while growing up in this country. But is it special for you as well? Yes, exactly, because they [the English players] talk to me about it. They talk about the goal Giggsy scored against Arsenal when he took his shirt off. I’ve watched it as well so you can see how special that was. I want to be involved, I want to have more moments with the team like this. If I can be on the pitch when someone scores [a goal like that], it will be amazing. So if you score against Yeovil, will the shirt come off? [Laughs] Maybe, but I don’t think the manager would be happy because I would get a yellow card! What was your first experience of the FA Cup – was it watching on television or was it when you came to Britain to play? When I came to Britain I started to know more because in Brazil we knew about the FA Cup, but we didn’t know how big it was in England. It’s more the Premier League and the Champions League that we know about but when I came here, I saw how big it [the FA Cup] is. What’s it like to go to a ground like Yeovils Huish Park when you’re a player who’s used to the big occasion at Old Trafford, Anfield or the Etihad? It’s interesting for us because a lot of players here will have never been on the pitch there and won’t know what to expect. People have told me their supporters will be crazy to beat us. I think it will be an interesting game for us. The FA Cup is the only domestic trophy that you and many of the other players haven’t won. Is there a burning ambition to add that medal to your collection? Definitely. When I get old and speak to my kids, if I can say I won everything with Manchester United it will be fantastic. It’s a trophy I’m looking to win, definitely. Even without the FA Cup, the number of trophies you have won with United is incredible. Do you ever stop to think about that? Yes, I do. It’s just amazing. Few players have the chance to win many trophies like I have done with Manchester United so I’m always very happy [to think about it]. When I’m sad or I get injured, I take these positives and tell myself to look forward and get myself ready to go again. It’s always good to win. -360
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 13:42:07 +0000