About Zenit's success
I am very glad to be here with this club and from my first day here until right now, I’ve enjoyed the game we play and being part of the team. In every upcoming match I will try to improve and I hope that I will continue the way I have been. Any professional player always wants even more victories and now we are getting ready to compete for the Russian Super Cup.
On his own game
I've significantly improved as a player since I moved to Zenit and the club has helped me a lot. I’ve been listening to the manager, who’s asked me to play further forward, closer to the opposition penalty area, and to get more involved in attacks. I’ve become a more integral player and that is very important for me.
His relationship with Sergei Semak
Sergei Semak has a huge football experience, he played for many clubs, including PSG. First of all, he really cares about his players, he always tries to implement his own style of play on the game to get the win, a quick-counter away from pressure, very quick players out wide, two strikers upfront who are excellent in the penalty area. I am very happy working with Sergei Semak, he has given me freedom on the pitch so that I can get involved in team attacks and support them from deep. These new challenges have been of great benefit to me as a player.
On winning the double
I am very happy because the last time Zenit won two major honours in one season was 10 years ago. I’m like every player who dreams of titles and trophies and I am very pleased to be a part of this great success. I think I made a good contribution to the wins with my dedication and love for the game. Now all my thoughts are on the Super Cup, but we face a tough team and we hope that we will not miss the chance to win more trophies.
What St. Petersburg is like
It is a wonderful city, very beautiful and hospitable. Now many things are starting to reopen, so I will try to go out with my family at every opportunity. But I haven’t had time to see everything yet, when it’s cold I have no time for a walk!
Learning Russian
Russian is very difficult! I’m really trying to learn something every day, but sometimes I can't even pronounce the words. When someone speaks Russian quickly, I don't understand anything! So instead I’m trying to improve my English, as it's easier to communicate with my teammates on the pitch. As you can all see, our communication is excellent!
