– The score was zero-zero because Terek always plays well at home, – said Luciano Spalletti. – They have a good coach, and here, in their home stadium, they always fight, always right up until the final whistle. It’s hard to play against such an opponent, to beat them here. But we tried hard, we went ahead right up until the end, and wanted to win. I told my players in the locker room that I’m proud of them. I told them that because Terek in Grozny is a very serious opponent which always plays well. It was truly hard on the pitch today. But I’m still happy with my team"s play.
- What do you think about Kerzhakov today? Was Bukharov’s absence a factor? - Kerzhakov did what he was supposed to do on the field. He consistently fulfilled the tasks that the team needs him to, and I’m satisfied with him. When Bukharov comes back, he’ll fulfill his role too. I like both of these footballers.
- How was it for you playing in Grozny? You were here for the first time. - It was pretty hard to play here. First of all, because the climate in St. Petersburg is different, while here it’s above 30 degrees. Secondly, the artificial turf had an influence on the game.
- Are there any teams in Serie A that are similar to Terek? - There are many teams in Italy that fight right up to the end. I want to note Terek"s fine play again: we really did have a worthy opponent today.
- Can we already congratulate you with winning the Russian Premier League? - Why don’t I leave you my phone number, and you can call me when we become champions, ok? And leave me your phone number, and I’ll call you when you fall into the European cup zone.
- Do you consider the match result to be fair to both teams? For Terek this tie is like a victory. - I think the result is absolutely fair – despite all the difficulties. If we had taken advantage of our chances in the first half – Danny, Kerzhakov – it would still have been just as dangerous for us. It’s also hard to play when the referee adds three minutes, but then plays almost five minutes, and right at the end there are dangerous free kicks and throw-ins. That makes it a lot more difficult on the field.
- Is it true that Zenit is buying Lucio? - Why do we need Lucio? We already have four central fullbacks: Alves, Lombaerts, Lukovic, and Krizanac. That information is just made up.
- What were your impressions of the Terek fans? - The stadium is a place where two teams can settle their problems through fair play on a football pitch. I was happy to see so many children in the stands. The positive atmosphere at the stadium was good to see.
