Valencia's Jonas upholding Brazilian tradition
Sunday, February 10, 2013
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The UEFA Champions League has had no shortage of Brazilian brilliance since its inception in 1992, with Valencia CF forward Jonas the latest in a line of crowd pleasers.
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Since its inception in 1992, the UEFA Champions League has been blessed by Brazilian brilliance. Iconic names such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo have all made their mark and now Valencia CF forward Jonas is following in their footsteps.
"When I grew up in Brazil I always thought about playing in the Champions League. I've always felt at home in this competition and I hope that will continue for as long as possible," Jonas told UEFA.com. "For me it's the most beautiful competition there is."
Signed from Grêmio FBPA in January 2011, Jonas burst onto the UEFA Champions League scene by scoring after 10.96 seconds – the second-fastest goal in the competition's history – against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the group stage last season.
Four goals from the 28-year-old Brazilian international this term helped the Mestalla club into the round of 16, where they host Paris Saint-Germain FC on Tuesday before the return leg in France on 6 March.
"It will be a great tie, everyone will be watching and we're prepared," said Jonas. "We are playing the first leg at home, where we are traditionally strong, so we need to make home advantage count. Both teams are great going forward and are two of the highest scorers in the competition."
Click on the video player to see the full interview.