"Our goal is to win the Europa League"

"Our Zenit" newspaper surveyed the majority of Zenit players about their winter vacation and found out what tasks the players have given themselves for the new year.

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How did you spend your New Year`s holidays, and what was the most memorable moment?

Danko Lazovic: – I went with my family to the Maldives, where I didn`t speak about football, or think about football, or watch football on TV. My family moved back to Serbia about 2–3 months before the end of last season, and I really missed my daughter. So I was incredibly happy to spend a whole month with her.

Szabolcs Huszti : – I celebrated with my family and friends – that was the most memorable thing. I started my rest in the Arab Emirates, then came to Hungary for a week, where it`s just as cold and snowy as in St. Petersburg. So the St. Petersburg weather wasn`t a surprise for me and I`m in a good mood.

Tomas Hubocan: – I spent the majority of my vacation with my family, and talked a lot with friends. My best memory is of Christmas, when everybody met in our home next to the Christmas tree. I was really happy to see my brother opening gifts.

Vladimir Bystrov: – Most of all I remember how well I spent time with my family in warm countries.

Alexander Kerzhakov: – I had a good New Year`s. Everything was like usual.

Alexey Ionov: – I took my girlfriend to Singapore. I tanned and swam, but nothing special happened. After that trip I understood that now I`m going to spend each New Year only in Russia.

Victor Faizulin: – We celebrated with my wife on a trip on the Amazon in Brazil. But at that moment I understood that New Year`s is a family holiday, and that it should be celebrated in a large circle of loved ones at home, with winter and snow.

Dmitry Borodin: – I had a good rest. I went for several days to Europe, and then to the United Arab Emirates. The most important thing is that I was with my family. That doesn`t happen so often during the course of the season. Spending time with my loved ones is relaxing. We spent New Year`s Eve itself in the countryside. After New Year`s I always remember just two things: the president`s speech and how we set off fireworks with my friends.

Roman Shirokov: – I spent the time well at home.

Konstantin Zyryanov: – I had a good time. That said, we lost our electricity twice on New Year`s Eve, but by midnight everything was in order.

Alexander Anyukov: – The important thing is that I managed to spend time with my family.

Yury Zhevnov: – I celebrated in Minsk. It was a great family holiday.

Alexander Bukharov: – The good thing is that I had a good rest and finally went fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. The bad thing is that out of 14 days there were only four sunny ones. So I didn`t get a tan.


Did you miss football? Did you stay in shape over the holidays?

Danko Lazovic: – I haven’t had any vacation over the last two years, so I was really tired. But now, upon returning to St. Petersburg, I understood that I want to play football, and that I miss it.

Szabolcs Huszti : – I’m sure that a professional play can’t ever forget about football. I always follow the results of various championships, and watch some matches. Of course sometimes its necessary to stop thinking about football and do something else, but I think the focus should still remain on the main thing in our life.

Tomas Hubocan: – Of course I missed football a lot, because I was treating my knee injury at the end of last year. I took some short runs while I was on vacation.

Vladimir Bystrov: – Considering that my rest started two weeks earlier than everybody else because of my injury, I had plenty of time to start missing football. Even too much time.

Alexander Kerzhakov: – I played with the ball on the beach.

Alexey Ionov: – I had a good rest, so I started to miss football.

Victor Fayzulin: – Time went by fast. I started to miss the ball, but I would have rested another week anyway.

Dmitry Borodin: – I started to miss the game.

Roman Shirokov: – I missed football. I also played football with my friends from CSKA, with Dmitry Borodin and Kostya Zyryanov. I’m really good at all positions.

Konstantin Zyryanov: – We'll come onto the field, see the grass, and then we'll see if I missed football. During the holidays I worked on functional preparations, without the ball.

Alexander Anyukov: – I had plenty of time to rest.

Yury Zhevnov: – I missed the game, but I didn’t just sit on the couch all the time. I played football with my friends a lot.

Alexander Bukharov: – At first it was hard to even touch the ball, and I wanted to see all the guys as soon as possible and start training.


What goals and tasks have you set for yourself for this season?

Danko Lazovic: – I’m a pretty simple guy. I came to Zenit to win trophies. Winning the Europa League? Why not. The Champions League? Why not. I want to win everything, everywhere. I haven’t set myself the goal of scoring a lot of goals. I just want to win as many tournaments as possible. And that's enough for now.

Szabolcs Huszti : – I want to play as much as possible and to win all trophies with Zenit.

Tomas Hubocan: – I want to repeat last season and win the Russian championship again. I hope that we’ll play well in the Champions League group stage and win the Europa League. I’m going to work hard in order to make the starting team more often and become a constant started in the Slovakian national team. That’s my plan for this year.

Vladimir Bystrov: – Right now the important thing is to get ready for the new season. And in general my goal is to win in every match.

Alexander Kerzhakov: – I set myself some goals, but I’m not going to talk about them out loud.

Alexey Ionov: – You can’t play football without having goals. And of course I have my own goals.

Victor Fayzulin: – I’ve got just one goal – to play, and to enjoy it.

Dmitry Borodin: – I hope this season brings Zenit even more success, and that I’ll play more than last year.

Roman Shirokov: – I have a lot of personal and sporting goals. The two are interconnected.

Konstantin Zyryanov: – I haven’t thought about that. I just rested and got new energy.

Alexander Anyukov: – To defend our title in Russia and to play well on the international arena.

Yury Zhevnov: – To move forward, and not make the mistakes I made in the past.

Alexander Bukharov: – I have the highest possible goals both for myself and for the team. To be first in Russia, to make it to the Europa League final, and to advance from the group stage in the Europa League.

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