Bruno Guimarães on Joining Arsenal, Learning Mikel Arteta's Set Pieces, and Playing like a Warrior: Men in Blazers 08/23/26

0:00You're listening to the Men in Blazers Media Network, Suboptimal Radio.

0:15Ben Vindo. Hello Roger, how are you again? I'm good, now you're here. Where were you when the transfer to Arsenal was completed? Can you set the scene? How did it feel emotionally? Was it joy? Was it relief? Yeah, joy, I would say. And since when I started to speak to Andrea and Mikael, I was very excited to come to the club. And when I got the green lights to come, and of course me and my family, everyone was very excited to move. And yeah, now I'm here, happy, excited for the challenge we have in front of us. and yeah, I just want to make very special my time here at Arsenal. You've been an Arsenal player, I think, for about six days as we sit here.

1:02Can you describe the way Mikel Arteta coaches, how he communicates in training, his expectations? What's that been like? Yeah, he's very active, I can say. And since the first time I spoke to him, he want to make a dynasty here at the club and try to win everything as possible. And I was very excited of his idea. Yeah, it's still everything very new for me. And I'm just trying to get used to the players, to the manager, to the staff, the way he works. So, yeah, I can say that I'm still finding my best way in the group, but I'm loving. He uses the D word, dynasty. Dynasty, yeah, yes. I think it was something special when he said to me, like I said, here at Arsenal, we want to win everything.

1:51And yeah, we need this dynasty. We need good players. Like I said, I want to come here and make a history for these guys. I could ask you, Arsenal set-piece drills. How long will it take you to learn the entire playbook? I mean, you got to use it there. It's a lot. And yeah, it's something that definitely can win a game. And it's very important. We're training a lot. For what I have seen so far, we're training almost everyday set-pieces. I think it's very important. is a big part of the game. Are they letting you take any of the coolness like you did at Newcastle? Not yet, not yet. As a Newcastle player, you faced Arsenal nine times.

2:30There were some battles. I think you scored in your first game against them in 2022, which effectively ended their Champions League hopes. From the outside, as an opponent, how would you describe what it's like, the experience of playing against Arsenal? Well, to be fair, it was always very difficult to play against them. They try to keep the ball and play very, very offensive football. Of course, I had some battle with the other players because, speaking about myself, I hate to lose. And I always try to defend my players at the time I was at Newcastle. And here I try to defend Arsenal's players as much as I can.

3:10But yeah, a good battle is always very difficult because they always want to keep the ball, keep the game in their control. and I'm excited now to play with this caller. After you signed, I love the story you told about the text you got from Declan Rice. Come here and please, no more fights. Now we're friends. What's it like playing against Declan? Can you describe to us what makes him so good? He has a little bit of everything. He's so good with the ball, but he defends like a lion, I would say he's always there. His presence in the midfield is unbelievable. It was very difficult to play against him and now I can finally play with him.

3:51And I hope we can be very successful together. What was it like for you watching Arsenal win the title last season? The trophy parade. Hundreds of thousands of fans here in North London. Millions across the world. Did those images have any impact on you? Yeah, just to show how big the club are and how good they were last season. I think they deserve to win. I think we have an unbelievable team. And, of course, when you see this, you just think, well, yeah, you get excited to join the club. And for me, just show how big the club is. When did you first know Arsenal were interested in you? And what did that feel like?

4:32I feel good. Of course, it's a big club. I can say everyone in Brazil, since when I was young, we always watched Premier League and I always watched Arsenal play. And it's a big club everywhere in the world. And, of course, I was very excited. Even more after when the manager called me and said, I want you to be in my team and I want to join the club. And yeah, it was special for me, for my family, for everyone. As you say, big in Brazil. And Brazil is big in Arsenal. There's a few familiar faces in that locker room. There's three Gabby's, Magaís, Martinelli and Jesus. You know them, all three of them well after playing for years for Brazil.

5:09Bruno, if you had to tell me what each is like in one word. First up, Gabi Jesus. Trophies. Lots of trophies here in England. Martinelli, quick and bigger power. Mike Ais. Power, yeah. And I probably have to change my name for Gabi Guimaraes now. Because probably it's just Gabi here at Arsenal. All Brazilians. Yeah, all Brazilians. Gabi. Gabis. Yeah, Gabi Guimaraes. Double G. Yeah, double G. Get that tattoo on there. Peter Bosch, your manager at Lyon, described you as a thermometer on his team. How do you describe in your own words what you do best on the field? I think Peter knows me very well.

5:51I had the look to work with him at Lyon at the time. I think he's a great manager, developed me a lot. If he described me like this, I can say yes, I can be everything. Like I said in my first interview, I want to be a water for this club, fight for everything I can, fight for the bad. is something that I love the most is compete. And I think I'm in the right place to compete and win trophies. You've called this Arsenal midfield one of the best midfields in football. You have so many versatile tools as a player. You can sit deep and protect. You can set the tempo creatively. You can arrive in the box late and score goals.

6:28How do you see yourself fitting in and making a team that are already defending champions better? Well, I can say I can play as a six, as an eight for the left side, for the right side, and a double pivot, a single. I can play every position in the midfield, but this just depends on Mikael's ideas, you know. I think... What's he said about what he wants from me? He said to me, I can play everywhere. And I said, yes, I can play everywhere. Just depend on you. I left this in his hand, and he's in control where he wanted me to play. I'm just ready to play for Arsenal, no matter where. What's it been like in training, developing relationships, becoming familiar with the array of midfielders who are there.

7:07Talk to us about what that experience has been like and who you're really connecting with. Yeah, I'm trying to be, of course, close to the midfielders to see how they press, how they attack, how the manager likes them to do. I just have been training for one week. I need more time, of course, but I'm trying to learn as quick as possible. But I think for the midfield, we have an amazing midfield here at Arsenal. What excites you most? Probably the intensity everyone hates to lose. and I'm one of those guys that we hate to lose. We can see in training so competitive and this is going to put us in the top.

7:40Bruno, what's the goal that you set for yourself for the season to come? Win trophies. I don't have one target. We go for everything. I think the potential having this team is unbelievable and I don't want to put a target. We need to think game by game and let's see how far we can go. But with this team, we have a big chance of winning trophies. Do you feel an extra level of pressure? I think the pressure is relative, you know. Pressure for me is someone who has to wake up like 5am and go to work. And here it's football. But yeah, I know the fans want to win and we want to win as well. But I say pressure for us as a player is a privilege.

8:24I know you got the tattoos of the major trophies you've won on your body. The Copa do Brazil. the Copa Sudamerica, the Carabao Cup. What trophy do you most dream of inking on your body as a member of this Arsenal team? I would say Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, everything's possible. I just want to win no matter what. Like I said, I'm so competitive and everything for me is important. But yeah, I would say Premier League and Champions League would be very special. Have you got enough room left on your body? I have. I have a lot of space for trophies. Where are they going to go?

8:59I don't know, legs probably. When you sign for Arsenal, you told a quite beautiful story of how you chose to wear the number 39, the one you're now wearing for Arsenal, as a tribute to your father who drove a taxi with that number in your hometown Rio. When you look at the number 39, what does it say back to you? What does it symbolise to you? What is its power and message? Every time I put the shirt on, I remind myself where I come from, where my family come from not just my father my mom everyone and give me an inspiration to no matter what I have to be hungry for more and that's the mentality when my kids get up I want to teach to them as well because I think my family come so far and now it's time to improve improve the number and the history of my my father just give me more inspiration what is that mentality in a word because the story is about sacrifice.

10:00It's about hard work that others have made to put you there. And you are a footballer who plays with that kind of spirit, taking the field, never taking a moment for granted. Can you articulate that mentally? You used the word of a warrior earlier. Tell us what it is. Warriors means never give up no matter what situation we're going through. We have always to believe. My father always believed. My mom always believed. The times when I want to give up when I was a kid, when I heard my first no in my career, they said, no, you will not quit. And that was very important. And nowadays I just describe myself as a water because I've been through many, many things in my life.

10:41And I'm just keeping standard and try to improve myself day by day. You're not obligated. No, nothing. You carried.

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