Antony: "I felt pressure in the favela, not in football"

The Seville derby is just around the corner, and Antony is sure to play a key role in it. The Brazilian, revitalised since his move from Manchester United, where he hit rock bottom, discussed his career with DAZN and rejected the idea that pressure from his expensive transfer had any impact on his struggles with the Red Devils.

"Pressure? Whenever I am asked about that, I always respond... 'What pressure?' I felt pressure in the favela, when I didn't have boots to play in and had to face drug dealers and people like that in matches. That was real pressure," he began.

"When I went to school in the morning, I had nothing to eat. So, whenever I go through tough times, I always remember everything I overcame in the past," continued the current Real Betis player, who has scored four goals and provided four assists in 11 matches since his debut in February.

Earlier, the Brazilian international had opened up to The Players' Tribune about his difficult beginnings: "When I was eight or nine years old, on my way to school, I found a man lying on the ground. When I got closer, I saw he was dead. In the favela, you get used to this kind of thing. There was no other way to get to school, and I had to get there, so I stepped over the body and kept going."

"I'm not saying this to seem stronger, I'm just sharing my reality. In fact, I can say I was pretty lucky as a child because I received a divine gift. The ball became my salvation. In Inferninho, Christmas presents don't matter, anything that rolls is useful," the forward added.

Antony went on with more examples to emphasise that pressure doesn't faze him: "I never bowed down to anyone. I performed elastics on drug dealers, roundabouts on bus drivers, nutmegs on thieves... I really didn't care who was in front of me. With a ball at my feet, I fear no one."

The winger will experience his first Seville derby on Sunday and had no problem admitting in the past that he is happy since his arrival in Spanish football: "Every day that passes, I feel it was the best decision I could have made."