Danilo ready to make Brazil right-back spot his own

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  | XINHUA |    Juventus defender Danilo said Wednesday that he feels ready to finally assume the role of Brazil’s first choice right-back, more than nine years after making his international debut.

The 29-year-old is expected to start for the five-time world champions when they meet Bolivia in Sao Paulo on Friday and Peru in Lima next Tuesday in the opening two rounds of South America’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

“Without doubt it’s an important time in my career,” Danilo, who has been capped 25 times, told a virtual news conference.

He said he did not feel daunted by Brazil’s rich history of right-sided defenders, such as Carlos Alberto, Cafu and Dani Alves.

“I’ve reached a level of maturity that has allowed me to be a part of the national team,” he said. “It’s a position in which we’ve always had players with a lot of quality that have created history.

“Now is an opportune time for me to cement my place. I always say that it’s important to feel the responsibility of playing for the national team but that shouldn’t be overshadowed by pride. Otherwise the burden can become too much.

“I’ve battled with Dani [Alves] for a place in the team and that has made me a better player. I’m playing well for my club, I’m happy, and I think that everything that I’ve experienced in football until now has given me what I need to be able to pay for Brazil’s national team and have more continuity.”

Danilo described himself as fortunate for having worked under managers such as Zinedine Zidane, Pep Guardiola and Andrea Pirlo. And he described himself as a more complete player now than the one that left Santos to join Porto in 2012.

“I play differently now, with a stronger focus on passing the ball and helping to construct the play,” he said.

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XINHUA