Vitinha on start to life at Marseille: “I wasn’t ready yet.”

Vitinha, the most expensive signing in the history of Olympique de Marseille, has opened up about his challenging start at the French club. However, the striker never lost confidence in himself, even when things didn’t go his way in his first few months at OM. He recently scored his first goals for the club, a double against Troyes (3-1), which was a special moment for him. 

In an interview with Canal+ before the match against Lyon, Vitinha talked about his difficult adaptation to the intense game in France, which is different from what he was used to in Portugal. “I never doubted myself, but I knew I was going to have difficulties,” he said. “The French central defenders are very strong, very strong physically. I wasn’t prepared for such an intense game. I needed an adaptation period because it’s a different league.”

“I was very happy that my teammates celebrated my goal in that way,” Vitinha said about his first goal for the club. “It’s a moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life, it was very special. Even if things hadn’t gone in my favour before that match, my teammates trusted me, they talked to me, motivated me, and that made me very happy to score. But I was even happier to know that the team was happy for me, that they supported me and were with me.”

Despite arriving as the club’s record signing on the last day of the winter transfer window, the striker has only started in three games so far. “I used to play most of the games as a starter. Arriving in Marseille and going to the bench did me a lot of good,” he admitted. “It did me a lot of good because I grew. It’s the coach’s decision. I wasn’t ready yet. I thank him for managing me in this way. I have to work to show that I’m ready to play.”

Vitinha believes that his adaptation period has helped him improve his game, and he is willing to keep working hard to prove himself. “I have to keep working, keep improving,” he said. “I know I can do better, and I will do better.”

The Portuguese striker’s emotional departure from his homeland was another difficult challenge. “It was difficult, I’m very attached to my family and friends,” he said, emotional. “I know it’s for growing up, but leaving them behind is what hurt me the most. It’s hard. It’s still hard today, but it’s for my own good, for the good of my family. I’m going to make this effort to grow as a player and make all the people I love proud of me.”

GFFN | George Boxall