Johor Darul Ta’zim FC defender Mauricio was interviewed by Russian sports agency Sport-Express in Dubai. Founded in 1991, the agency is the biggest-selling sports newspaper in Russia, with a daily audience of over 700,000 readers.
During the interview, Mauricio spoke of his fondness toward JDT, how owner HRH Major General Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim Crown Prince of Johor manages the club and players, and the desire to be pioneers.
“I feel at home, and I’m absolutely happy that fate brought me to this club. Our club is special. The ‘Boss’ (HRH Tunku Ismail) constantly motivates the team to win every match and always be the first. He created the most comfortable conditions for the players in everything — in life, in training, in games. Of course, we strive to repay him with such an attitude. This is the essence of football,” said Mauricio.
“In 2020, he rented sports cars for the football players: Ferrari, Lamborghini, well, stuff like that. And we drove them to training and matches. You know, it seems to me like every kid’s childhood dreams. At the same time, no one forgot that we were here in Dubai to prepare for the season — our main objective.”
“The responsibility is huge. But to be honest, I like that kind of pressure. You cannot allow yourself to relax for a second. You are always expected to have a better game, better results and, of course, trophies.
Mauricio also listed JDT as among the three most memorable clubs of his career, alongside Brazil’s Palmeiras FC and Portugal’s Sporting CP.
Source: Sport-Express.ru
