Gabala FK newspaper is interviewing Lourival Rodrigues Assis for the next of the "Legionnaires in Azerbaijan" block. The Brazilian midfielder, 29, lives in Azerbaijan with his wife Sheyla and Lohan, joining the interview. He talked nothing to the interview, but his parents well responded to the questions.

"I thought of Azerbaijan just like Iraq and Afghanistan".

- How did you make you decision to leave to Azerbaijan?

Sheila: Honesty, I did not like to come here as I I thought of Azerbaijan just like Iraq and Afghanistan. I used to think that there were fights in this country. I kept this in my mind only until our friends told much more details on this place. Sure it was a bit difficult to be adapted to the life in here for the earlier days.

I found my most difficulty to be nutrition. There are no Brazilian meals in Azerbaijan. And baby foods are not that we like.

- Then how do you deal with the condition?

Lourival: We bring lots of foods from Brazil and use our luggage mostly for foods. At times, we do have to provide us eats for 3 or 4 months. Of course, most meals are similar both in Brazil and Azerbaijan. But there are not Brazilian beans here in Azerbaijan that we love much.

- Do you bring also famous Brazilian coffee?

Lourival: No, we don"t. We love the one in here.

"He loved me for 15 years when I was unaware"

- When and how did you meet for the first?

Lourival: We both were born and grew up in the same city of Brazil. And we were neighbors. She loved me for 15 years when I was unaware (laughing). When I got this we went into marital relationships before moving to another country for my football career. Now it is 7 years that we are married and we have a 3-year-old son. And it is 5 years we have been living off the home.

My wife is a housewife loving to take care of her family. She goes to swimming and fitness in her spare time.

- What do you do in your leisure time?

Lourival: Summer is more interesting for us to have great times in Gabala. But in winter, we stay at the hotel. And we get some chances to take a walk in Baku when we play there.

- How do you know Lourival Assis?

Sheila: He is a good-natured man and wants to be a good reference for his son. 

- What is you miss much about Brazil? Carnivals, beaches or what???

Lourival: I miss the seafront much where we love walking.

Sheila: I don"t miss carnivals at all.

Lourival: May be you say this because there a lot of ladies (laughing). 

- Most ladies don"t like football. Even many of them hate this kind of sports. But what about you?

Sheila: I really love soccer and watch all games of Lourival. I support Gabala. But the only problem is that you can hardly find women in the stadium.

- Does it encourage you when you feel the family watching you?

Lourival: Sure. I try and play better when my wife and son come to the stadium. And when I score I always run towards my family.

My mother died in 2005 after disease running for 7 or 8 years. Then my all life vision changed and my all wishes for her got buried. She didn"t see my achievements. I wish she could see my family and my play in Azerbaijan. and she would live with us here. My thoughts got worse and people found me off them. Then I got in religion and started to pray. I tried to help desperate people. 

- Many Brazilians fast fit to foreign languages. Are you planning to learn Azerbaijani?

Lourival: I do know a few words in your language: "nejəsən", "yaxşi", "pis". I started learning English two months ago. After this, I thing about Azerbaijani.

-- Lohan looks quite calm...

Sheila: I think, he looks like his father. He calls me when he needs to eat or money, he goes to his father when he wants to play.

He loves to play football even from his this age, but I would not like him to be a footballer when he grows up. Because he will have to live away from home after his 10 or 11.

Lourival: It doesn"t matter to me. The most he really needs is to be brought up as a good and real man. I can support him on any way he wants to develop. Sure football would be good for him, but I can"t force him to anything. 

We want to have the second child, mostly a girl as we already have a son.

- Which meals did you like in Azerbaijan?

Sheila: I mostly love rice with beans. I almost don"t like the Azerbaijani cuisine. But I eat kabab with great pleasure. 

Lourival: But it is not a principal different for me between cousins of the two countries. I eat them here easily. 

- How do you think, which place are Gabala going to get to in the league tournament?

Sheila: If Lourival plays Gabala will get a tally to Eurocup games (laughing).

Lourival: I am also thinking positive on this topic. I hope Gabala will reach to some successes with this staff. I say honestly that the club management provided all opportunities the team to go ahead. The infrastructure is perfect. We seem to have at least a bit chance to ge to the Eurocup games and now we are left only to take benefits from those chances".

Gabala FK newspaper