Cris demands final Lyon push

Three goals
The 28-year-old scored the only goal in Lyon's 1-0 win at Rosenborg on Matchday 2 - one of three he has scored this season - and is keen for his side not to take their feet off the accelerator as they complete their European fixtures for 2005.

'A long way'
"Our team need to remain focused and always be hungry for victories," he told uefa.com. "If the pressure relents even a little bit it will be harmful in the following games. We want to go a long way in this competition and I hope we will keep impressing."

Brazilian pairing
The former Cruzerio EC player has been impressing ever since joining Lyon, and having formed a water-tight central defensive partnership with compatriot Claudio Caçapa, the man who fans call 'Le Gendarme' - 'The Policeman' - he is full of confidence.

'We work hard'
And with this season's UEFA Champions League final being staged at Paris's Stade de France, Cris and Lyon do not lack motivation to succeed in Europe. "Our force is our teamwork," he said. "We work hard and play the right way. We have everything it takes to succeed!"

Remarkable progress
Drawn against Real Madrid CF, Olympiacos CFP and Rosenborg, Gérard Houllier's men have made remarkably comfortable progress in Group F, dropping just two points in their last game at the Santiago Bernabéu - which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Top billing
Having secured top billing in the group, they can now bank on a home game in the second leg of their first knockout round tie. "It is a psychological advantage above all," said Cris. "When we host the second leg, we will have our 'twelfth man' behind us."

'Twelfth man'
That 'twelfth man', the Lyon crowd, have taken Cris to their heart, not least because of his ferocious demeanour. "It has always been my style," he explained. "Determination is one of my strengths. The French game has helped me to put my aggression to good use."

Cultural differences
Cris has noticed other differences since he crossed the Atlantic. "Brazilians love their football but too often their love turns into hate and violent behaviour," he explained. "At Lyon, people just go to the stadium to get behind the players."

Brazilian interest
However, Cris has not left his roots behind entirely and still follows Brazilian football. "I support the Sao Paolo teams because it's where I was born and my family are still there. [SC] Corinthians and Cruzeiro [EC] are also in my heart because I played for them for a long time."

World Cup hope
Moreover, he is still hoping to sneak into Brazil's 2006 FIFA World Cup finals squad despite earning the last of his 21 caps in August 2004. "Ask the coach why I am not in the squad," he said. "It's not my decision, unfortunately. The door is not closed though, [Carlos Alberto] Parreira has just shut it a bit!"