Midfielder Luiz Gustavo, who has been one of Brazil’s star performers at the World Cup, said on Wednesday that leaving German giant Bayern Munich and moving to Wolfsburg was “a learning curve”.
“A lot of good things happened at Bayern which I have remembered, as well as some bad things which force you to learn and evolve,” said the 26-year-old at a press conference on Wednesday.
“Leaving that club was not an easy moment, but it was the start of a learning curve and I have come out of it even stronger.” Luiz Gustavo arrived at Bayern from Bundesliga rival Hoffenheim in January 2011 and enjoyed a successful two-and-a-half years in Bavaria.
Last summer, when Pep Guardiola replaced Jupp Heynckes as coach at the Allianz Arena, he was allowed to leave for 2009 German champion Wolfsburg.
“Everyone has their own opinion,” he said of Guardiola’s decision to let him go. “But I am very happy today.”
Having started all of Brazil's World Cup games to date, Gustavo is again set to have a key role to play in Luiz Felipe Scolari's side in Saturday's last-16 tie against Chile in Belo Horizonte.
However, it remains to be seen who will start alongside him in central midfield at the Mineirao.
Paulinho started in all of Brazil's three Group A matches with Felipe Scolari declaring that he had “blind faith” in the Tottenham Hotspur player before Monday’s 4-1 win against Cameroon in Brasilia.
