Jesus: Champions League is my dream, and I hope to go far with Barca to win the title

After joining Barcelona, Jesus attended a presentation press conference where he discussed his transfer to the club, his injury history over the past two years, his versatility across multiple forward positions, and his aspirations for Champions League glory.

I'd like to ask about Raphinha. You two must have been in contact—did you speak with him before joining Barcelona? What do you think of his performance this season? More broadly, what's your take on Brazilian players at Barcelona? The club has a rich history of great Brazilian stars. Is there anyone in particular who influenced you or whom you especially admire?

Yes, I spoke with Raphinha, but only after things were pretty much finalized. Everything happened very quickly. Once everything was nearly confirmed, he messaged me and we chatted for a while. I also spoke with Cancelo, who is a very good friend of mine, and with Rodri and Eric Garcia, whom I knew from my time at Manchester City.

I talked to all of them, and everything I heard about Barcelona was positive—the locker room, the players, the entire staff, and the coaching team. Many legendary Brazilian players have played here, and each holds an important place in the club's incredible history.

But I've said many times that as a child, I would watch Champions League matches, sometimes even skipping school. I watched Ronaldinho and Deco. I think Ronaldinho is one of the greatest Brazilian players in history. He played here and created a wonderful legacy at this club.

You had two previous opportunities to win the Champions League—once with Manchester City and once with Arsenal. What would winning the Champions League for the first time mean to you, especially at Barcelona?

From the moment I learned there was a possibility of joining Barcelona, it's been on my mind. It's a dream, of course. As I've said, I don't believe in coincidences; I believe in God. If I'm here now, it's certainly because God has a plan for my life.

As I mentioned, I failed to win the Champions League twice—once at Manchester City and once at Arsenal. I hope, I hope, I hope Barcelona can go far in the Champions League this season and ultimately win the title. If we can achieve that, it would be a dream come true. Of course, the season has just begun, and there's much ahead of us. But we have a very strong team capable of achieving great things.

You still had one year remaining on your Arsenal contract. Did you make financial and personal sacrifices to join Barcelona, thereby helping the club complete the transfer?

I think it's not just me—Barcelona also made a huge effort to make this signing happen. Yes, I did take a significant pay cut. But for me, being able to come here is a dream.

It's much more than that for me. This is football, and coming to Barcelona itself is a dream. If you'd asked me a month ago whether this was possible, I honestly couldn't have said for sure. But as I said, God has always been watching over me. Everything that's happened confirms my faith once again.

I'm 29 years old now, and after the past two years, to still have the opportunity to come to Barcelona and play here—that can only be because of God. I know what I'm capable of. People who truly understand football and know me also know that I can help the team. I'm very much looking forward to being here and have always wanted to contribute. Of course, I want to thank the club, the president, Deco, and my agent. The players themselves, of course, also have a say in these decisions.

When I learned there was a possibility of joining Barcelona, I immediately said, "No, I want to play for Barcelona." That's all there is to it.

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