– Zenit only needs one point.
– No, why do you say that? We want to win, like always. We came here to win. I don’t know whether Hajduk will allow us to do so. And it makes no difference if we play at home or on the road. We only are satisfied with a win, just like in all other games.
– You said that this match is just like any other for you. Does the fact that you are playing in your home country mean anything to you?
– I agree with you. I wasn’t talking about myself, I was talking about the team. For me personally this game is really important. I was born here, and I cheered for this team. My family is coming to the match – my spouse, children, father, mother… It’s going to be hard for me. I’m a professional, I play for Zenit, and I’m going to do everything for my team to get three points tomorrow.
– What is it about this stadium? You know it better than most people?
– I think that you’ll catch on yourself tomorrow.
– Six of Zenit’s players didn’t make the trip with the team, including Kerzhakov, the team’s goal-scorer. Does this mean that Hajduk can feel more confident than it did before?
– I can’t say that we left the main players at home. We have about 23–24 players in the main squad who all mean something to the team. Those guys who stayed in St. Petersburg need more rest. Soon we’ll have a six hour flight to Siberia, and there we have to play on a tough field.
– Will you be able to control your emotions tomorrow?
– I’ve got just one card in fifteen matches this year. But it’s true that I’m an emotional guy. This hasn’t hurt the team at all over the recent years. We’ve won lots of trophies.
