On Wednesday afternoon, Russia will again recall the Champions League. True, not about the present, but preliminary - “Spartak” in the second qualifying round will play with the Moldavian “Sheriff”. Maxim Kalinichenko is included in the current draw of the main European tournament with his top-rated player: after a brilliantly held World Cup, his figure causes a flurry of interest among foreign clubs. On the eve of the match in Tiraspol, Izvestia correspondent Yuri Dud tried to find out from Kalinichenko what kind of music and how long Spartak would play in this Champions League.
Question: Do you perceive the match with “Sheriff” resuming Spartak’s European Cup life as something special?
Answer: Honestly, no. With all due respect to the opponent, we cannot regard him as a grand. Accordingly, the subtext of the match is such that we are unconditional favorites and no matter how cool we are obliged to pass the “Sheriff”. In addition, I recently came from the World Cup, where I realized one simple thing: the level of this tournament is higher than any Champions League. So the qualifying round does not cause me any thrill.
Q: You returned from Germany a different person?
A: No, the same. True, they are joking with me a lot now. Here our goalkeeper Lesha Zuev calls me the world champion. Although what kind of champion I am, I only reached the quarter finals.
Q: Messages about your departure from Spartak are received every day. How, say, you reacted to the last of them: Kalinichenko wants to see the Portuguese “Benfica” in their ranks?
A: I don’t react at all! I'm tired of all the gossip. While I am engaged in resolving my issues at Spartak, I am ready to repeat: I want to stay at Spartak, but on certain conditions. If the club offers them to me, then everything will be fine. It would be ridiculous to assume that I have no offers right now. Likewise, it would be ridiculous not to take this opportunity for our own benefit.
Q: If you cannot reach an agreement with Spartak, you will most likely have to leave the Russian championship. After six years in Moscow will it be hard to part with this city?
A: From a worldly point of view, it is important for me to stay in Moscow: my daughter goes to kindergarten, the next year she goes to school, and I stuck to the city. But I will choose, if necessary, not from the everyday, but from the football and financial point of view. While Moscow is my home. But any other end of the earth can become a home if I feel comfortable there.
In: On the eve of the Champions League, the head coach of Spartak Vladimir Fedotov was noticed in using the Champions League anthem as a call on his mobile phone. Does anyone else prepare in this way for the long-awaited tournament?
A: Actually, I was the first to notice such a melody from Hadji (the main administrator of Spartak. - Izvestia), moreover a couple of months ago. Fedotov, apparently, downloaded it from Leonidich. The players did not hear such a melody, I never had it either. My current ringtone is 50 cent.
Q: Do you like rap?
A: No, no. I listen to all kinds of music, with the exception of blatant crap.
Q: What mess is this?
A: Well, two tributaries, three flocks. What we watch on some channels after 12 hours - when people have nothing to do, they decided to sing, shoot a clip and put it on TV. I don’t really like chanson. I listen to the deceased Circle with pleasure, but when "Radio Chanson" is playing, the minute on the 15th starts to stir me up. Tired of the uniformity of texts and melodies. Over time, you catch yourself thinking that you are a criminal, and those whom they sing are saints. Although I do not deny: even innocent people can be imprisoned.
Q: After a year ago, CSKA won the first European Cup for Russia, our fans increasingly began to think about storming the highest peak of the Champions League. If Spartak wins the tournament this year, will it be fantastic?
A: Why is it fantastic? In 2000/01, we had such a team that if the tournament ended the same fall, it would have every chance of winning it. We were then in such a state that if we were to give any opponent, they wouldn’t leave a stone on a stone. After those games, I realized that other teams, even grandees, are played by people like me. So why not think about victory now? At least we enter the Champions League with the maximum goal - to win it. If that - the task can always be adjusted.
Yuri DUD