Naldo expects Gent to tear into Wolfsburg

An old hand in the UEFA Champions League after spells at Werder Bremen and now Wolfsburg, Brazilian defender Naldo told UEFA.com about his goalscoring prowess, his side's round of 16 prospects, and what it felt like to eliminate Manchester United.

UEFA.com: Growing up in Brazil, how much did you know about Europe, European competitions and European football in general?

Naldo: A lot, because I always watched European competitions from when I was a child. I saw a lot there, a lot, not just the German league but also the Italian. At the time I liked Sampdoria a lot. I followed the big German teams like Bayern and Borussia Dortmund. Children in Brazil all watch European football.

Naldo first shone at Werder Bremen©Getty Images

UEFA.com: You have been in Germany for ten years now – do you feel at home?

Naldo: Since day one I have adapted very well here – my wife too. Our children were born here and we are very grateful to this beautiful country. I'm very grateful for the opportunity I was given. I'm very comfortable here and I'm looking to continue to live here when I have finished my career.

UEFA.com: You have scored 13 UEFA competition goals as a defender; how have you managed to get so many?

Naldo: As a boy I played up front quite a lot and I think that gave me an advantage once I turned professional – even though I play at the back, I know how to score goals. I am always alert for aerial balls and dead-ball situations. I always look to defend first but then – when the chance comes – to help the team with goals too.

UEFA.com: Wolfsburg play Gent in the round of 16, although you are suspended for the first leg; are you surprised that the Belgian champions have made it this far?

Naldo: I wasn't surprised because I saw one of their home matches and the fans made their presence felt. They're a team that won't lie down, a team that always look for goals. They took out some big teams along the way, like Valencia and Lyon. We have to be ready because they will come out fighting to make history in the Champions League.

Dante has joined Naldo at Wolfsburg©Getty Images

UEFA.com: Fellow Brazilian Dante is now playing alongside you in the Wolfsburg defence. How do you get on?

Naldo: Dante is a player who is talked about a lot – a centre-back who won a lot of trophies with Bayern. And I'm very happy he came to our team. He's helping us a lot. We knew each other before he came and now it has become a great friendship. We are from the same country but we speak German on the pitch so that the others can understand us – that's important, that communication.

UEFA.com: Wolfsburg qualifying at the expense of Manchester United was a big shock; you scored two in the 3-2 success, including the winner. How did that feel?

Naldo: It was a great night for me, with two special goals, and the most important thing was to help the team reach the round of 16. It was an explosion of emotion, that night is unforgettable for me. Winning 3-2 against a side like Manchester United, and coming from behind, isn't something just any team can do. For the whole 90 minutes our team had their heads on right, and we scored the goals at the right moments.