Dante: "Record's not important"
Munich - Since joining from last season's surprise package Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer, Brazilian centre-back has emerged as an integral figure in FC Bayern Munich's backline during their record-equalling start to the season.
Following the Bavarians' seventh consecutive win in the 2012/13 Bundesliga campaign,
a 2-0 victory at home to 1899 Hoffenheim, the 28-year-old spoke exclusively to bundesliga.com about what Bayern's impressive start means to him, the recent defeat to BATE Borisov and where die Münchner go from here.
bundesliga.com: Dante, how do you rate Bayern's performance against Hoffenheim?
Dante: We played well, were good going forward and got another home win. We want to win every game. That's our ambition.
bundesliga.com: Did you find it difficult playing Hoffenheim? Bayern looked a bit cautious at times.
Dante: We know how Hoffenheim like to play, they're a counter-attacking team. We had a lot of possession, but Hoffenheim defended very well. However, we eventually made it 2-0 after a good break. This is how we intend to continue.
bundesliga.com: What does Bayern's record-equalling start to the season mean to you personally and the team?
Dante: We just want to perform to the best of our abilities week in, week out and try to collect three points in every game. It's nice to have equalled the record, but it's not that important to us. Despite that, we will of course attempt to continue our winning streak for as long as possible.
bundesliga.com: In contrast to the seven consecutive wins you've enjoyed in the Bundesliga, Bayern lost to BATE Borisov in the UEFA Champions League during the week. Are you satisfied with your team's reaction against 1899?
Dante: We always knew there were going to be setbacks. It was difficult to play Borisov because the pitch wasn't in good condition and we'd had a tough match at Bremen a couple of days before. Things like that can happen, but the team responded really well today.
bundesliga.com: Is it a disadvantage that the international break is coming up now that the team is back to winning ways?
Dante: We just want to maintain our focus so that we are ready for our next match against Düsseldorf.
bundesliga.com: Are you already thinking ahead to that game?
Dante: I am, yes. I'll have a bit of a break, take a moment to recover and spend some time with my family. For me and the other players that haven't been called up by their countries, we've got to keep fit and start preparing for the encounter against Düsseldorf.
bundesliga.com: How will you go about doing that?
Dante: We have no games for two weeks which gives us the chance to work on a few things, whether they be tactical or technical, that we can do better, to ensure that we're even more prepared for Düsseldorf.
Interview by Gregor Nentwig
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