“It was a good game, the quality was nice, as well as the result. We looked quite confidently for the entire match, created chances and turned them into goals. I’m happy for the team, we achieved a good result with a quality performance.”
Four central defenders from the first team were absent today, and despite this fact you kept the formation with three central defenders. Why did you choose specifically this formation?
“You said it yourself, the whole group of players is currently absent, including our central defenders. Right now three of them are unable to play for one reason or another, so some players from other positions have to replace them. Speaking of the formation, I think in this situation it makes our defence more secure.”
The team performed well today and the flow was very nice. Was it because the players who missed part of the pre-season training are finally improving their fitness, or did Ural just play this way?
“We’re trying to do our best considering our current situation. The squad that we have now is clearly different from the one we had during pre-season. We have to deal with some issues now and that includes improving fitness of those players who joined later, using the formation considering the players we have available right now. All these factors combined bring certain results. We continue working and moving forward. Things change and obviously we have to adjust to the circumstances we’re facing.”
At the end of the match, after many substitutions, Barrios ended up on the position of the central defender. Did you decide to check his ability to play on that position or was it necessary to make the central midfielder position available for another player who came on as a substitute?
“The reason he played as a central defender is that he is going to miss the next Cup match. That’s why he received so much playing time, while Nuraly Alip got a chance to play a bit less in order to get ready for the Cup match better.”
After the match finished you were watching a questionable moment. What exactly were you watching?
“After the match finished? We were watching the moment with possible penalty. The livestream has a delay, so I think we were watching this episode a bit later.”
How much will Eraković miss, and is he going to travel to Kaliningrad?
“We’ll see how his recovery will go. There is a chance that he’s going to travel to Kaliningrad. I hope he will join us in two or three days. We’ll see if he is going to be ready for the match in Kaliningrad or the next league match, either way I hope he’ll be able to play in the next couple of matches.”
You said that Renan is not fully ready. Is he having health issues? If he is, what type of injury is it, and if not, then what is the reason?
“There are a few reasons, and obviously we’re working on certain aspects. As I’ve already said, there are some health issues and also some questions regarding the three defenders that we have available. He was playing well in pair with Rodrigão, they had good understanding between each other. Right now the team play is not at its best, so for all these reasons we decided to play with this squad. I hope Robert will be ready to play in the next matches.”
Regarding the next home friendly match. Why did you choose this opponent? Are you going to set specific objectives for this game or is it organized just to keep the team’s fitness during the international break?
“We played one match away, now we’re going to play the second match home. Let’s say that it’s a nice friendly gesture. There is no specific purpose for this game, except for keeping our fitness levels and filling the pause for the international break.”
How would you explain why Mateo Cassierra wasn’t scoring much last season and this season he’s the top goal scorer. Is it connected to mentality, the change of formation or did he need more time to get used to the new team?
“I think it’s difficult to pinpoint one reason in this situation. In my opinion the main one is mentality. He is a very hardworking and kind guy, but he’s one of those people who needs more time to get used to the new team, to understand the objectives and to feel comfortable with the teammates. Last season he had enough chances, but the accuracy was a bit off, and the lack of goals was most likely connected to some psychological reasons. He is a great player and he works a lot. Last season he had only one problem, and that problem was not scoring enough, but he was always helping the team. He works with the ball well and his technique is good. For a forward it’s important to score in order to feel confident. Now he scores and we’re all happy for Mateo and the results he is achieving.”
Just to clarify, did the fact that he got married affect his performance in a positive way?
“If you tie getting married to the amount of scored goals, then absolutely.”
