Criwellaro

Very few footballers in the Indian Super League are as aesthetically pleasing to watch as Chennaiyin FC’s Brazilian ballplayer Rafael Crivellaro.

The act of Crivellaro weaving through an army of opposition defenders is a sight to behold. While the creative midfielder served up a feast for the eyes in the 2019-20 edition, he was forced to cut short his on-field ISL show in Goa last season due to an unfortunate ankle injury.

Following a challenging spell on the sidelines, the 32-year-old is back on the green blades of grass with the sole intention of moving forward. With the ISL extravaganza staying in the land which is famous for its water bodies, Crivellaro is eager to make waves and keep his rivals at bay in Season 8. In a recent interaction with DT Next, comeback man Crivellaro emphasised that he would do everything in his power to steer the Chennaiyin ship to its destination – a third ISL title. During the chat, the midfield maestro also spoke about providing blue-ribbon service to Bozidar Bandovic’s ‘Blues’ and more.

I went back to Brazil midway through last season and firstly spent some time with my family. I then began my rehabilitation with physiotherapy. The programme went on for two to three months. After that, I started my preparation for the new season. I have completely recovered from the injury and I am fully fit. I am ready for the upcoming ISL season.

The last pre-season was pretty bad for the players. We did not have enough time to gain match fitness and create an understanding with our teammates prior to our first fixture. Now, we have a lot of time to prepare in the right way without getting injured. It will help us reach our optimum level. I think that two months is a good amount of time to prepare for a new season.

He has come into the camp with new ideas – what he thinks about football. We have to adapt to his ideas as quickly as possible so that we can implement them on the pitch. He wants us to keep the ball and play a good style.

I always say that football isn’t about an individual player but about the whole team. If we can come together and perform well as a team, you will see each one of us at our individual best.

We know that we did not have a good season last year, but it is all in the past now. We need to look forward to performing well this year. We will work hard and fight to win the trophy. The motivation is to be the champion.