Valenciennes striker Mathieu Dossevi has praised defender Carlos Gil for his contribution this season, following the Brazilian’s difficult start to life in France.
The 25-year-old centre-back moved to the Ligue 1 side from Cruzeiro in 2011, following seven years in Brazil.
Gil, whose full name is Carlos Gilberto Nascimento Silva, suffered from homesickness and struggled to settle into his new life when he first moved to France, according to his teammate.
Mathieu Dossevi said: “He had discovered a new league, a new culture and he was not at its best.
“He was asked a lot of questions at the time. When he arrived, we had a lot of doubts.
“He was a little overweight and really struggled to adapt. His wife was missing and she was not feeling well when she first came to France”
However, Dossevi believes Gil is now performing much better and is putting in some great performances for Valenciennes.
He added: “He still has to work on his recovery but he is bluffing them every time. Very few attackers come to pass and physically, he is a goliath.
“It exudes a serenity that I have rarely seen in a defender. He is smooth and does not foul.
“Moreover, he always manages to compensate for his lack of speed by a good reading of the game is really well suited to French football.”
Gil has started all eight games for 8th-placed Valenciennes so far this season, scoring one goal in the process.
