Leo Sainz interview: Southampton’s Brazilian star on his “crazy” Premier League journey | football news

It’s been a remarkable second half of the season for Southampton, and one of the key men behind the turnaround in fortunes is Leo Sainza.

Contributing 17 championship goals, and 10 since Saints’ unbeaten run began in January, the Brazilian’s fairytale story has never ceased to amaze.

The 27-year-old only started playing professionally six years ago, and now finds himself just two games away from playing in the world’s biggest league.

A feat beyond his wildest dreams.

Tuesday 12 May 7:30pm

8:00pm kick off

Like many soccer fans, Scienza was playing for fun in his native Brazil as an adult, and he hasn’t forgotten his past as he continues to thrive while pursuing his dreams.

“It’s been crazy the last few years,” the winger said Sky Sports.

“I’m 27. I’m playing probably my sixth season in professional football. And today I’m playing in the Championship, in this big club, in England. Every day has been a dream.

“I remember when I was 18, I had already finished school. I did what I needed to do. I was playing in the Sunday league with normal people who have normal jobs. After the game, you drink some beer, have some fun, eat some churrasco.”

As often happens in many stories of Sainja, a pivotal moment changes the course of his life and leads him to where he is now. Sadly in this instance, it was his father’s death that made him decide to go all in on football.

“It was very difficult for me because my father died on my birthday,” he added. “I felt that I had lost someone important who had given me this love for football. It made me feel that I had nothing to lose.

“I had the opportunity to go to Sweden and for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel scared. It was a very important part of my journey because I was there for a year and a half, living in very ordinary conditions, not living very well. I am very grateful for every little thing that I came through.”

His time in Sweden was enough to catch the eye of Germany’s Schalke, and after bouncing around numerous clubs in the country’s lower leagues over the next five years, it was Heidenheim that allowed him to show what he was capable of in the Bundesliga.

Nine goals and six assists in all competitions last season caught the eye of Southampton, who snapped him up with just a minute left in the window last summer.

While many with his background have taken time to settle in, Sainza hit the ground running in his first season in English football. It’s a fact he’s proud of that many gave up on him before he left.

“Before I came here, I used to say my style (Championship) doesn’t fit. Everyone said it wouldn’t work.

“When your coach wants to use your best qualities on the pitch, it’s easier for you to understand where the space is. Where I can get the ball and drive.”

It’s been about as good a debut season as Scienza could ask for. However, promotion to the Premier League would make things even sweeter.

To do so, Southampton will need to navigate the rest of the play-offs, starting with a win over Middlesbrough in the second leg of their play-off semi-final on Tuesday night. The Brazilian has the unique experience of playing under similar pressure, having played in the relegation play-offs for Heidenheim in the Bundesliga, where he helped lead them to safety.

“In the second game, I got the ball in the area. It was the 95th minute and I almost punched the ball into the top corner,” he recounted.

“It was pure joy because we knew this was it. We were all running and celebrating because we knew the whole season was based on this goal.

“I was very happy because it’s not just about the players. It’s about the club. It’s about the people who work at the club. They’ve achieved another season at the top level. I hope we have a very happy ending with Southampton.”

Watch Southampton v Middlesbrough live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm on Tuesday; Kick-off is at 8pm.