According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Brehme stated that it would be very attractive for Juventus to return to the most important competition through the Europa League, and Danilo Luiz is also a very strong player.
Brehme was originally supposed to be named Breme, after the late Inter Milan German full-back. His father took a liking to the name after scoring the winning penalty in the 1990 World Cup final in Italy: "Later, I don't know if the name was misspelled during the registration or if my father pronounced it wrong." Ultimately, young Gleison Silva Nascimento was registered as Brehme. A Brazilian who grew up in Turin, it was also a cruel joke of fate: "Torino originally wanted to buy Lucas Verrisimo, who played for Santos and is still playing for Santos. Sporting director Petrachi failed to sign him and instead chose me, almost by chance, because I didn't play many games for Atlético Mineiro. Who would have thought that I would later spend eight years in Italy?" It's safe to say that no one regrets it. The 29-year-old Brehme is still one of the best center-backs in Serie A, although a serious knee injury in October 2024 interrupted his rise. He said, "You know, when I was a kid I wanted to play striker? I especially liked Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. When I was 14 they told me not to think too much about it, if I really wanted to make it big..." Yesterday, Casa Juventus, which Juventus opened in downtown Perth during their tour of Australia, attracted 250 fans, and Brehme received a warm welcome along with Spalletti and Yildiz.
Brehme, how are you feeling right now? You played the first 45 minutes of the summer in the Hong Kong game against Chelsea.
"I feel good. Of course, I'm not at my best yet because I started preparing later. But I'll get back into shape soon, and I think I'm on the right track."
The doctor said it takes two years for a torn cruciate ligament to recover to its previous state, so you're almost there now.
"The first year after an injury is always tough. I didn't believe it before, and I thought I might be an exception. But unfortunately, that's the reality. The good news is that everything is going well now, and my body is responding as expected: I can feel it, because the recovery after a high-intensity workout is much faster than in the previous months. Now I just need to play more consecutive games. I need to play."
The World Cup was disappointing for Brazil, and it was also disappointing for you; you didn't play a single minute.
“But it was still a great experience. It’s only right that Ancelotti rewarded the players who helped the team qualify. It’s okay, I’m still young, and hopefully I can be the protagonist in 2030.”
What was the hardest time after that serious injury in Leipzig?
"The worst part wasn't the injury itself, but the nine-month recovery period. When I came back, I thought everything was over, but it was just the beginning of another journey, the process of getting me back to the player I used to be. I was confident that I would achieve my goals. But that's my confidence today, not always."
Your hobbies also helped, especially music.
“There were some game situations where I worried I wouldn’t be able to keep going. I’m talking about last season: my mind was on the court, but my legs couldn’t keep up. At that time, I thought, ‘Oh no.’ Fortunately, I gritted my teeth and persevered, and eventually made it through.”
"Yes, I learned to play the guitar. It helps me relax. Because my wife sings very well, we sometimes play Brazilian music together. Oh, and I also know a few songs by Eros Ramazzotti that my father really liked: 'Life's Little Things'."
"We should view the trivialities of life in this way." Is this also your motto?
"In some ways, yes. I think we should try to live each day to the fullest, enjoy the present moment, and not waste time on social media. Isn't that what 'living in the moment' means?"
I heard you're a bookworm.
What do you do when you need to escape from the daily grind and stress?
“I loved reading even before I got injured. After I stopped reading, I read even more, not just to pass the time, but also to broaden my mind. I really like the way ancient philosophies think about life, such as Aristotle, and I also like psychology. We live in a consumerist world and always feel like we're missing something. But often, we don't need to have anything more.”
“I will go back to Brazil to see my horses. My family used to have one, and still does. I was born in Itapitanga, a small town with only 8,000 people, and grew up surrounded by animals. When I was a child, I would go to find horses after school. I do it whenever I have the chance: being with nature rejuvenates you because we all live in a noisy world.”
Juventus are starting to emerge from the chaos: they haven't conceded a goal in their first few preseason friendlies. That's good news for you defenders.
“We are getting to know Spalletti’s ideas better. Going back to what I said earlier: this is a process.”
Where will this process take the team by the end of the season?
"The primary goal is to return to the Champions League. It doesn't matter whether we get there through the league or the Europa League. In fact, qualifying for the Champions League through the Europa League might be more appealing, because that would mean we've already won a trophy."
Regarding this topic, Brehme made a crucial statement: Juventus cannot be satisfied with just finishing fourth.
“I’m happy to make this clear. I wasn’t saying those things to find an excuse to leave. On the contrary, I was expressing my ambition: I won’t be satisfied with just having an Italian Cup in the trophy cabinet at the end of my career. I want more, and I want Juventus to return to its rightful level. As Spalletti said, we are still a bit far from that goal, but we are already laying an important foundation for the future. Kolo Muani, Albaykovic… I also have high hopes for my friend Danilo Luiz; his talent is outstanding, and he will prove it in the future.”
Even with the €58 million release clause expiring on August 10, you never considered leaving the team.
“I did not ask Juventus to sell me. Especially when both the club and I are going through difficult times, I would never even think of doing so. That would be like running away. If one day I part ways with Juventus, maybe when I am older, I will walk out the door with my head held high.”
