Vitaliy MUTKO, head of the RFU: “I hope that the first team will play like that”
- You very actively behaved in the box of honored guests, literally jumped and almost ran after every goal of the Russian team.
- I am very proud of the guys. They say that we have no talented players. But this is not true. The team showed character. These are men. Moreover, we were confronted by a very serious opponent. I’ll tell you that it’s not a sin for some guys to look into the passport.
- So take a look.
- This is a complicated procedure.
- Who will take the team to Portugal?
- I.
- And from the coaches?
- We will decide. No need to escalate around this passion. We have a well-thought-out system.
- If the first team also plays with the Israelis ...
- Why "if"? I'm just sure of the first team. You see how they work in training. And anyway, let's love the team for what it is. But I believe that the national team will play so sincerely.
Evgeny Savin: “We can’t relax”
- Victory over the Portuguese turns the return meeting into a formality?
- If we enter the game with such a mood, then we will not achieve a positive result. We have been responsibly preparing for this meeting. And we will approach the second match as seriously as possible.
- Scoring first, you relaxed?
- No, just the Portuguese team is a pretty strong opponent. We expected aggressive football from her in any situation. By the way, it’s good that they scored. It spurred us.
- And then there is the removal of the opponent.
- It has become easier for us, it's true.
- What can you say about the full stadium?
- It's great. No one expected this. And the huge flag on the podium just dissolved me.
Kirill Nabakin: “We can play at midnight”
- The Portuguese will probably not play three goals.
- I do not know. It seems to me that the second meeting will be much more difficult than the first.
- You entered the game with an amazing mood.
- Yes, that's right. And even the opponent’s return goal didn’t stop us. With a score of 1: 1 it was difficult, but in the second half we showed our football and achieved a result.
- What did Vitaliy Mutko tell you at the last meeting?
- That we should pass the opponent, it is a shame so much time not to play in the final part of the European Championship.
- The return game at midnight in Moscow. Will this become a problem?
“I don't think so.” We will prepare for this. Although I like to go to bed early.
- Not afraid to fall into euphoria after such a success?
- Of course not. Everyone understands that only the first half has been played.
Victor Losev: “I will not allocate anyone”
- The best player in the team was Dmitry Khomich, who pulled out several goals in the first half. Or did someone surpass him?
- Nobody surpassed him. I will not highlight players at all. We have one team.
- Will you go to Portugal with a calm heart?
- In no case. We just made a good start. But it will be very difficult there.
- You yourself are not surprised by the result?
- We believed that the guys could play well, although by and large they did not count on such a gap. But everything flew into the gates of others. Honor and praise to our boys who completed the installation.
- Didn’t you think that your opponent underestimated your team a little?
- It was so. They even got through this in an interview. Like, they are favorites. Well, this is a sport.
- You will be the head coach in Portugal. What do you say to the players before entering the field?
- It's a secret.
Alexey Shevchenko