Leeds United's Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Perri on Wembley: 'It will be like playing at the Maracana'
The FA Cup has been good to Lucas Perri this season, and now the Leeds United goalkeeper is looking forward to getting his rewards.
The 28-year-old comes from the most mystical footballing country on the planet, so when a Brazilian speaks reverentially about the FA and Wembley, you know is not just the English who think Leeds v Chelsea on Sunday is a big deal.
The 28-year-old from Sao Paulo's first season in English football has been a difficult one, but there is still time for fairytale ending.
Muscle injuries in pre-season and again in August disrupted him, and after letting in four goals at Newcastle United in January, he has had to settled for the role of cup goalkeeper but he has taken to it well, with tie-winning penalty saves in the shoot-outs against Birmingham City and West Ham United.
Now he is set to play at one of the most famous stadia in world football in one of its most famous competitions, in Sunday's semi-final.
"It will be like playing at the Maracana," he says of appearing at Wembley, "so it's going to be an incredible experience."
To reach the club's first FA Cup final since 1973: "will be incredible for the club and we're looking forward to it. We're going to have a difficult match, but we can do it.
"Everything's possible in football, so we have to believe. And this journey in the cup has been incredible.
"It's a great opportunity for the club to be back in the semi-final after a period (39 years)."
Perri's Cup journey has been special too, running in parallel to what looks like being a season where the newly-promoted side have consolidated their place in the Premier League. He is modest about his own role, but the excitement is clear.
"It's been a couple good couple of matches," he says. "I'm happy to help the team with the opportunities that I've got and we're looking forward to the semi-final of course.
"For me, it's always good to help the team. As a whole, for the club, reaching the semi-final is an incredible achievement. We're having an incredible season.
"(The dressing room has) been good. We're close to achieving our goals for the season. We're not done yet, but we're in a very good place, so it's a good environment."
He appreciates the enormity of what he will be involved in at the weekend, but says it will be business as usual.
"I remember watching the FA Cup, Premier League, the whole of English football and I know the importance of the competition," he stresses.
But preparation will follow "the normal processes. Working during the week, having the same structure of training and keeping the same processes."