While Reinildo impressed in the early days of his Sunderland career following his move from Atletico Madrid, the Mozambique international suffered a major setback when he was sent off for kicking out at Matty Cash during last month’s draw with Aston Villa.
The defender was handed an automatic three-match ban, meaning he was forced to sit out the games with Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Wolves that saw the Black Cats cement their strong start to the season.
He was restored to the side for Saturday’s game at Chelsea though, and delivered an excellent performance as Sunderland won 2-1 to complete the best start to a Premier League season by a newly-promoted club for almost two decades.
“It was very hard [being suspended],” said Reinildo, who left Atletico Madrid as a free agent after playing for the Spanish club in this summer’s Club World Cup, which was ironically won by Chelsea. “I’ve never missed three games in my life.
“But it’s life, it’s football. I have to learn with this, so now I’m feeling good because I was able to have very good games on the national team, to give me minutes. Here [at Chelsea], I was feeling good, feeling good to help my team, so I’m happy.
“I’m feeling good. I’m working every day to be on top form, to give 100 per cent, to help my team. So, I’m happy to be here, I keep going, I will keep fighting until the end of the season.”
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While Sunderland had made a strong start in their opening eight games, they were not given much of a chance against a Chelsea side that had put five goals past Ajax in their midweek Champions League game.
Their task became even tougher when they conceded the opening goal within the opening four minutes, with Alejandro Garnacho firing home after exploiting a gaping gap behind the Black Cats defence.
From that point on, though, the game changed, with Sunderland tightening up at the back and offering an increased threat on the counter-attack. They equalised when Wilson Isidor fired home after the Chelsea defence failed to deal with a long throw from Nordi Mukiele, and claimed a dramatic stoppage-time winner when Brian Brobbey squared for his fellow substitute, Chemsdine Talbi, to slot home.
The win lifted Sunderland to second place in the table, but like his manager, Regis Le Bris, Reinildo is refusing to get too carried away. The Black Cats might currently be in a Champions League spot, but survival remains their key aim.
“Our project is game by game,” said Reinildo. “We know our objective in this league, so we will do everything game by game. We will not make a count until the end of the season, and then we will see where we are. But for now, just fighting every week.
“Everyone knows the target is to be in the Premier League, so we keep going, we keep fighting, but like I say, game by game, giving everything, so we will see at the end of the season.”
Nevertheless, beating Chelsea in an away game is a statement success. Sunderland have won at Stamford Bridge before, most notably in 2014 when Fabio Borini’s late winner secured a 2-1 success. That win was a survival job though, helping the Black Cats scramble to safety under Gus Poyet. Their latest success felt different, more of a statement of what might be possible than a reparation of previous damage.
“We knew it would be a very hard game against a very big team,” said Reinildo. “But we play together, we suffer together, so when we play like this together, the good things come. Because we’re working like a team, it's not about individuals.”
Having spent six years with just two clubs, Lille and Atletico Madrid, Reinildo was taking a step into the unknown when he moved to Wearside in the summer. Three-and-a-half months into his Sunderland career, though, and things could not be going any better.
“I was happy to sign with Sunderland,” he said. “I’m happy to be here. My family is happy, so now I keep going, keep fighting to give everything for my team. We are happy. This was a very important three points for us.”