Bolívar discusses Internacional's historic title bid

	After a stunning upset over São Paulo on the road, Internacional is just a draw away from its first-ever Libertadores title. AP
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PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil -- It doesn't get any bigger than this. After a 12-year absence from South America's most prestigious club competition, Internacional has taken a massive step toward a title.

Inter's stunning 2-1 victory over São Paulo at the colossal Morumbí stadium last week means a draw here on Wednesday night will be enough to crown it the champions of the Copa Libertadores.

O Colorado is impatiently hoping to make the most of the opportunity in order to emerge from the shadow of city rival Grêmio, which has already won the title twice.

Moments after Inter's final training session before Wednesday's deciding match, I sat down for a chat with Bolívar, a key player in the center of the defense, who will be playing his last match for the club on his 26th birthday. The fullback discussed the anxiety leading up to the most important match in the club's 97-year history.

SI.com: Do you feel Inter has an important advantage over São Paulo after the first leg result?

Bolívar: Yes, there's a great belief that we can win the title, and the fact that we will be playing in front of our home fans will give us a further advantage. Inter must keep the same rhythm as in its past matches and we must be confident in ourselves. We know the title is in our reach and we will definitely be giving it our best.

SI.com: The result puts Inter into the decider with a great chance of winning its first Libertadores title. What must the team do in order to win the title?

Bolívar: We have to maintain the same rhythm as in the first leg. Now we must make the most of our 2-1 lead because São Paulo is a great team, as everyone already knows, and they have the quality to turn the result in their favor. We won the first 90 minutes and São Paulo will come here to do the same thing as we did one week ago. Inter respects São Paulo, but we know that we are very strong when playing at home and we will try to show this on the field. The home support is an important factor, but we can't get carried away.

SI.com: Is there any São Paulo player in particular that should be kept under close guard?

Bolívar: All of them. São Paulo is a very strong group and Inter is fully aware of this and the potential of its players. Ricardo Oliveira is definitely the danger man, but if he doesn't play, they have Aloisio as another option. He is another great player with lots of experience and we must try to give him as little time with the ball as possible. São Paulo has many talented individuals and we must be prepared for this so that we don't get any unwanted surprises.

SI.com: Is Inter going to take a defensive approach to the game or will you go out to win?

Bolívar: We must come out to attack and play for the victory. If we think about playing defensively it could be a very dangerous match, so we will try to play with an attacking approach, because a draw still favors us. Still, we'll go for the win as we have the quality to do so and taking the game to them will make things much easier as we look to close in on the title.

SI.com: As you say, a draw favors you. Does that mean you'll try to slow down the pace in the first period?

Bolívar: No, Inter is used to being very aggressive when playing at home, as we have showed throughout the Libertadores. When we needed to win our home matches, we did so, and this time it won't be any different. On Wednesday, our objective will be to win the title, no matter the result, and we'll do whatever it takes.

SI.com: You will be leaving the club for French side AS Monaco after Wednesday's game. Is this a distraction for you, or is it a further motivation to do well and succeed in winning the title?

Bolívar: All I'm thinking about is helping Inter become champions. I want to leave the club victorious. I want to be remembered as a player that gave everything for the club, and the Libertadores Cup will put me and my teammates in the club's history books. My objective is to help Inter win the title and nothing else. I will have plenty of time to think about my new club in the future.

SI.com: If you had to pinpoint your best quality what would it be?

Bolívar: I'm a calm player and I give security to the team on the field. I feel that I am a player that both the manager and my teammates can rely on as I rarely make mistakes and always give my 100 percent for the team.

SI.com: Inter fans are already in party mode, but there's still the second leg to play.

Bolívar: Our fans already feel we are champions, because we picked up such a good result in São Paulo. But we know that although our fans are already celebrating, we still have to finish the job. We know it's going to be a very difficult match because São Paulo now has nothing to lose. They are a great team and are the defending Libertadores champions.

SI.com: Will Wednesday be the most important day of your life?

Bolívar: Yes, for many of us it will be. We will do everything to win the title. Our fans will also want to get into the history books because it has been a very long time since we last won an important title. We the players know that this is very important for our fans who share our same mission and we hope to help them reach their objective. There's nothing better than to win such an important title at the Beiro-Rio stadium, where all our fans can witness history being made.

SI.com: Is there anything you'd like to say to the Colorado fans before the most important match in the club's history?

Bolívar: Yes, to be calm. We are halfway there. All of us at Inter know that you have been waiting for this moment for many years, and we will try our best to reach the objective. You are amazing fans that have always had confidence in us and have shown us your support throughout the Libertadores, so we will try our best to pay back the favor. Keep faith in the team and we will sacrifice everything to bring you the title.

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