Vini Jr. spoke to the press prior to the team's final training session before the Champions League round of 16 first leg (Tuesday, 9:00 pm CET). The forward assessed the clash with Atlético: “I continue to have unbelievable experiences in these colours, fulfilling my dreams. I hope we can keep this up, we've really started playing better since the game against City. Tomorrow will be another huge game and I hope the fans can get behind us, and we players can deliver a great performance for them."
Referees
“The referees protect the flair players a bit more in Europe and that's important for us. They'll punish players who go around kicking us and make the game stop-start. We don't like to discuss the referees but it's important that they manage the game well."
His future
“I'm very relaxed about it, I've got a contract until 2027, I hope we can renew that shortly. I'm happy here and it's a dream come true to be playing alongside the best players, under the best manager, the best president and for the best fans. I couldn't be anywhere better than where I am right now."
Making history
“I'm here to continue making history. I want to repay all this club and the president have given me. I hope I can keep scoring goals and playing more games in this jersey. Now I've got the taste for winning things and started writing my own history here, I want more. I want to go down in this club's history, which isn't easy with the number of legendary players in the past. I want to be one of them."
The derby
“It's going to be a great game, we love a good derby. We look forward to these big games all season, especially in the Champions League. It will be my first time and I'm so excited to play in such a huge game. It's going to be a real party for our fans, just as it will be for theirs in the second leg."
Collective displays 
“We realised we had to defend better otherwise there was no way we'd win things. The coach spoke to us about it, especially the four of us up top. He underlined how we had to help out defensively. They give it their all for us to allow us more chances to score. We are all hungry to win trophies."
The Betis match
“We were lacking a little in all areas. We started well but after the first 20 minutes or so, we kept making mistakes and we defended poorly. It was all wrong. The best thing is that it happened in that game, because we know we can't afford to slip up tomorrow. We're here to improve and deliver a good performance tomorrow."

How is he feeling?
“I'm feeling in my best form. I've had injuries during the season, and with so many games you can't be 100% all the time. We're going to have around 8' matches this season and that's really tough. The fans ask us to give our very best every two or three days but that's not always possible. We're not always in perfect shape, mentally or physically. Everyone is playing with discomfort, but you have to do that because this club gives us all we need to perform at our best. I think I'm having a good season. After the last one, when I got so many goals, people will want to see more from me, but the best is yet to come and we tend to up our game at this stage of the season too."
Ballon d'Or
“People vote for what they believe. I have my thoughts on it, as do my teammates, and people give me such great support to keep going. I've never dreamed about winning it, but of course when you're that close, you really want to get it. I'll have other opportunities to win awards and titles with this club, which is the most important thing. I've won two European Cups and I'm here to win many more."
The Ballon d'Or gala
“I do as I'm told by the club. They asked me to stay in Madrid and I did so, no problem. Now we're focused on the next one."
What makes him react on the pitch?
“When the referees refuse to hand out cards to others, but whip them out for me at the first sign of frustration. It's normal to be in the heat of the moment during a match, you're hungry to win. I do things I shouldn't, but I'm getting better in each game. The players help me by staying calm and I'm improving in that sense. People forget I'm only 24 years old and I still have a lot to learn."