According to reports, Andre Cury, a key figure in Brazilian football history, revealed that Vinicius Jr. was close to joining Barcelona before his transfer to Real Madrid. Cury has been instrumental in bringing stars like Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Neymar, and Deco to European football. He also played a major role in three of the biggest transfers in South American football history: Estevão (to Chelsea for €63 million), Vitor Roque (to Barcelona for €62 million), and Neymar (to Barcelona for €61 million). Additionally, he was central to the biggest transfer in football history—Neymar’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for €222 million.

What are Barcelona’s chances in the Champions League semifinals?

If they faced Bayern Munich, it would have been better because their style is similar to Barcelona’s, and Barça could have exploited counterattacks. But against Inter or Real Madrid, they face a tougher challenge because these teams defend deep. Madrid might defend with 10 or 11 players and strike with 2–3 counterattacks. Inter does the same. But Barça never does this—it’s the club’s culture. Even when there are 5 or 10 minutes left, they push forward, which has cost them dearly.

How is your relationship with Barcelona now?

Very good. Deco has been my friend for years. I brought him to Europe in 1998, to Alverca in Portugal’s second division. My relationship with Laporta is also friendly. Barça is like a second home to me. But working with them is tough now, like with the Vitor Roque deal. Due to financial issues, if you buy a player, you might not be able to register him for months. The same happened with Roque. Last summer, he couldn’t be registered, and then the media started attacking. It became impossible to continue. Now, after selling part of his rights to Palmeiras, Barça even profits because they retained a percentage of the future transfer.

Could Barcelona have signed Ousmane Dembélé for just €5 million?

Yes, he was at Rennes, and his release clause was only €5 million. But agents wanted over €10 million in commissions. Dembélé also didn’t want to come because he wouldn’t play. He went to Dortmund, and Barça later paid a lot because Neymar had left.

How much did Neymar’s sale impact Barcelona?

Massively. Dembélé, Coutinho, and Griezmann cost over €450 million combined, while Neymar was sold for €222 million. If you include commissions, maybe it would have been better to pay Neymar more. For example, offering him €30 million instead of €15 million to stay. Real Madrid does this well—Florentino Pérez never puts the club in debt. They either don’t buy good players or buy them strategically. Barça kept good players with long contracts and high wages, making it hard for anyone to leave. Even for Suárez’s departure, Barça paid part of his salary!

What about Vinicius Jr.?

For me, Jude Bellingham should have won the Ballon d’Or this year, not Vinicius. Bellingham defends, scores—28 goals and 17 assists in one season. When Modrić won the Ballon d’Or, he didn’t have these stats. But it’s a vote, and we must respect it.

What’s wrong with the Brazilian national team?

The problem is that “nothing is going right.” We have very good players, much better than other countries. But we lack stability. In two years, we’ve had four coaches, and now maybe a fifth. Argentina has worked with Scaloni for 5–6 years and has stability—we don’t.

Is it true Vinicius could have joined Barcelona?

Yes. I saw him several times in São Paulo and fell in love with his style. I approached him and spoke with his family. A personal agreement was reached. Everything was ready—just one step away—but suddenly Florentino Pérez stepped in. With a much better and faster offer, he closed the deal. Madrid paid the full amount immediately. Barça wanted to pay in installments. Real knows its business. They paid and took the player. Barça hesitated, and everything was lost. That transfer felt like losing a final to me.