Coentrao: At Madrid I began to think that I had forgotten how to play football LaLiga - Real Madrid Spoke exclusively to MARCA

He may not be the same player that dazzled with Benfica and Portugal, but Fabio Coentrao is regaining confidence and learning to play well once again.

Since leaving Madrid, he has played much more and began to feel important.

Despite a strange episode in which he cried on the bench after being replaced against Astana, the player who still belongs to Real Madrid is playing with a smile on his face.

Sitting at the headquarters of his new club, Sporting Clube, Coentrao opened the doors of the Estadio Jose Alvalade to speak exclusively with MARCA.

How are you doing in Lisbon? Are you happy?

"Everything is going very well. I am very happy to be at Sporting, I have confidence and I have been lucky with my health, something that weighed me down a lot when I was at Real Madrid. I've regained a lot of confidence."

You had some stellar moments with Madrid. In the Champions League final in Lisbon, for example. How did that go wrong?

"The truth is that when people criticise, they don't pay attention to things. I had Marcelo ahead of me! Mar-ce-lo! We are not talking about any player. I did enough! The first year we won the League and that was when I played the most: thirty-odd games. In the second, things were very bad for everyone.

"In the third, with Ancelotti, we won the Champions League but I also played the quarterfinals and the semis, in addition to the final. It was a great season. From there things started to get a little complicated due to the injuries I had. But if we look a bit at the big picture, I think I did things right. People don't look at that, and they criticise without seeing that."

You said in an interview with MARCA, from Monaco, that you felt like the ugly duckling of Real Madrid.

"It's the truth! I think so. The first and third years were very good. I was a starter against Bayern and in some other difficult matches. We won the Champions League. I know I did a lot of bad things, played poorly in games and when I didn't work well generally, but I did some good things that people fail to recognise. That's why I felt like the ugly duckling. I don't care anymore, anyway. What I prefer to remember are the good years at Madrid and I am very grateful for them."

How is the relationship with Jorge Jesus? You are back with him after his time at Benfica and have regained confidence with him. What is so special about your relationship? We even saw you arguing heatedly with him at the beginning of the season, but have since been fine.

"Jesus is a very important coach for me. He was my coach when I was 19 years old, the one who put me in as a left-back and I was sure that working with him again would be the best for me. And that's the way it has been. He has a lot of confidence in me and that is decisive in football. At least for me it is.

"In Madrid, the last year was not the same. Not that Zizou didn't give me confidence, not at all. Zizou has been a very good trainer for me too and I can only say good things about him. The one who speaks ill of Zidane doesn't know what he speaks of because he is a spectacular guy, but things didn't go well for me at Madrid. I had to leave again to get my game back in order and gain confidence."

It's funny what you say about confidence because you have always stated that the best version of Fabio Coentrao is with the national team. More calm, more decisive.

"If you ask any player they say the same thing that I say: confidence is 50% of a football player."

I would even say that your best results come in tournament competitions. Is that so?

"Yes, it's normal. When I'm with Portugal I feel confident. I think to myself: 'Look, I haven't forgotten to play football.' Because I often asked myself at Madrid what was happening with me, if I had somehow forgotten how to play. When I returned to the national team it was the moment for me when I knew: 'Look, I'm still a good footballer.' They used me in the whole field: at the back, going forward and even in the centre. Having confidence is very important, and in Madrid I didn't have that feeling.

Personally you look very well integrated. Do you still talk to Marcelo or Ramos?

"I got along very well with everyone and there were no problems. Now that I'm not there, the only one I speak with is Cristiano Ronaldo, who is my friend and who is the best player in the world. And, in addition, they have a coach with whom, when he speaks, they all listen. From Cristiano I learned to do my talking on the pitch."

What was it like facing Iker Casillas in the Portuguese league?

"Good. I spoke a little with him before the final against Porto. At the end, Iker was a little pissed off, which is normal because he lost. Other than that we haven't spoken."

What do you see happening for the World Cup?

"I want to be a champion with Sporting and help them achieve their goals first because we are alive in three competitions. If I play well and have no injuries, good things will come. I want Portugal to win the World Cup. If I can help, I will be there. If not, so be it."

But they can count on you, as long as you're 100% fit?

"Yes. I do things right, everything I can. I have to be focused on my club by helping them win titles again, do things well and the rest will take care of itself."

How's life in Lisbon? Are you okay personally?

"Yes, of course. It's my country, my family is very comfortable and I'm very happy here."

The image of you against Astana drew attention, crying on the bench and being consoled by your president.

"Yes, our president here is good and there to help. He likes to be next to the player. When he came to embrace me I felt good inside. People then say things and don't know what they are talking about. I'm not going to tell you what was happening with me that day. The truth is for me. Let them say what they want."

I understand. Although I understand that it was a disturbing image. Beyond criticism or other specific things in regards to the way you live, in Madrid it was said that you had problems sleeping well, that you played too much on the internet, is there any truth in that?

"What did I play a lot on the internet? [laughs] This year I do my talking on the pitch. I learned from Cristiano that that's the best thing. There the best answer is given. People said that I was not going to play, that I was coming to Lisbon on vacation... I'll ask them when I finish. I've been here 31 games without injuries and I'm fine. "

Of Madrid as a city, do you miss anything?

"Yes, of course. I talk a lot with my wife as she would love to live there. My children would also like to, but the life of a soccer player is like that. One day you are somewhere and the next day you leave. Luckily I have changed Madrid for Lisbon, which is one of the best changes possible. When I was in Lisbon, I missed Madrid a lot, which is a unique place to live."

Was the press unfair to you?

"A little? Pfff! Two weeks ago we played against Porto and I am always playing. I have played some very good matches and others not so much. When I look at the Spanish press, with all the respect I have earned, nothing ever comes out about Fabio if he played well. However, in a game against Porto, there was this video saying some ugly things about me.

"I don't understand! Why do they only have bad press about me? What I ask is that they be fair. I know that many times I have played badly and nothing happens. Many times I play well, it would also be fair to hear about that too. It's ugly. And I don't know why, I've always been a very calm guy with the press. I don't know, I honestly don't know."

At 29, are you at your best?

"No doubt. Now I am fine. There were things in Madrid that I know I didn't do well."

What happened in your last season? Was it just injuries or were there more things?

"Look, it's like this: when you're at a club where you play a game and then you don't get a chance until seven games later, always training and knowing that you're not going to play... you let yourself go. You get down. That's what happened with me at Madrid. But if I could go back, I would change many things."