Arao: “Panathinaikos has a winning mentality, as do I – We can achieve something great”

Willian Arao complete a month on Panathinaikos and in the Match Program of the match with AEK he stated that… he is looking forward to his first Greek derby in Leoforos!

At the same time, the 31-year-old central midfielder pointed out that he came to the “clover” with big dreams and high goals…

“I’m here to win titles. We want the championship, we also want the Cup, and why not make a big run in the Europa League as well. To reach as high as we can. We have a very good team and I think we can win every game. Obviously we are not perfect as a team but we have a very good level. And if we improve some things in our game, we can achieve something great“, Arao said, among other things.

The Brazilian media interview in detail:

The season started well for Panathinaikos who have three wins in as many matches in the league. What is the state of the team before the first big derby of the season against AEK?

We are ready. The team is in very good condition and ready for such a match. Certainly AEK has a good team but we are also a very strong team. It’s a big derby between two teams that are at the same level. We must avoid mistakes and pay attention to details. If we do that I think we will have our chances to win. It will be a tough game but we are ready.

AEK was the great rival of Panathinaikos during the last season in the battle for the title. Does the fact that the championship went to AEK give Trifylli an extra incentive to win, especially to the players who experienced the previous championship?

I think none of that matters because at the end of the day what you want is to win. And you want to win all the games. So for us it is another opponent. Obviously when you lose a championship at the last minute, you have a strange feeling, but that is a thing of the past. Before us now there is only the will to win. It doesn’t matter the opponent, nor where we compete. What matters is winning. AEK is a big opponent but we don’t have that thought going into the game. It’s a must-win match. But we have to do more things on the pitch to get the three points as it is a derby. We go determined and with great concentration to win.

This is the first derby of the season at Leoforo. Do you expect the dynamic support of the world to give the team an extra boost?

This is certain! The fans give us a big boost and their support is really important. It’s my first derby with Panathinaikos and I’m looking forward to it. I have experienced big derbies in the past because my previous teams were also popular and with very large audiences, and I know that the support of the people can make a difference.

What are your feelings before your first derby in Greece?

Derbies are always special. And in this case, AEK is an opponent with whom we are fighting for the championship. So it’s actually an important match. Also, it is important for our confidence and for the fans who are waiting for how and how these games. There is a lot of anticipation for these matches during the week and it is important to win them.

What image have you formed of the Greek league so far?

Closed games are played, there are good pitches and the atmosphere in the stadiums is nice. There is passion. However, we are at the beginning and I think another month needs to pass to clarify the situation with the image of the teams. However, I think it’s a good league. There is a good level. I like…

Can back-to-back games almost every three days and going from the league to Europe and back to the league affect the team?

Almost every year I follow this process with consecutive games and it is a normal condition. My opinion is that whether you are playing for the championship, or for the Cup, or for an international competition, the main goal is always to win. You play to beat whoever the opponent is. Especially in our case, the championship is the main goal, so whoever the opponent is, big or small, we have to win to achieve our big goal. Whether we play in OAKA with 60,000 spectators, or in a smaller stadium with 3-4,000, we must win. At the end of the day you have to play well and win regardless of the competition, the opponent, the field…

What are your first impressions of Panathinaikos and Greece?

I am very pleased. I had a very warm welcome from everyone in the team. From my teammates but also from the caretakers, from the chef, from everyone in the team. I honestly feel like I’ve been here two years. Also, my family is happy, my children are happy. The city is nice, people respect you. The weather is great, it looks like Brazil. We are very happy here and I hope to play well to help the team achieve their goals.

What do you like about the Panathinaikos game?

I like the fact that we have the ball. We are an aggressive team but at the same time we are well organized. Talking to my father I told him that “this team is well organized”. We are good defensively and offensively. We are in a good moment and I am very optimistic about the future if we continue in the same way.

Why did you choose Panathinaikos?

First of all, because Panathinaikos is a big club. From there, I was attracted to the goals of the team, our goals. I’m a winner and I want to win titles. In all the teams I played for more than a year I won titles. So I wanted to come to win. Panathinaikos has a winning mentality and that was something very important for me. I don’t like to play to finish eighth or ninth, I want to play to win…

Was coming to Europe a lifelong dream?

Yes, it was a dream to come to Europe, to compete in the Champions League, in the major European competitions, where the best footballers participate. When you are in Europe you play at the highest level. Teammates, opponents are at an excellent level and this makes you progress every day and become better. And that is very important to me.



What does football mean to you?

Football is for winners. Obviously, it offers us a good life and money. But I never played for the money. I play because I love this game. It’s been my dream since I was a kid. So when I’m here and playing big derbies, I feel a really good feeling. I live it intensely and many times I get emotional because I like to play these kinds of games. It is my life. I want to win every match, every title, and that gives me more motivation.

How is Willian off the pitch? What do you like to do;

I am very calm. I’m a family guy. I like to spend my time with my family. I have two children – five and four years old – and I like to play with them. Sometimes, when there is time, we go to the beach, other times we go out to eat.

Do you play any other sport besides football when you have time or only football?

No no! Only football…

What other sports do you like to watch?

I like NBA, NFL, American sports. I also watch tennis and Formula 1…

Who is your favorite Formula 1 driver? There used to be great Brazilian drivers, but not now…

Difficult question… In the past we had Massa and Barrichelo, earlier of course Senna. Now I support Lewis Hamilton more…

Which NBA team do you support?

The Lakers…

Who were your favorite players when you were little?

Gilberto Silva, who has also been through Panathinaikos, Vabeta and Patrick Vieira…

How is life in Greece?

I like the city and the people. Everything is calm… I come from Sao Paulo, a city of 20 million and last year I was in Istanbul. So Athens seems very calm to me…

First impressions of Greek cuisine?

The Greek (village) salad is really very nice…