Andrei Arshavin: “At Spartak? Everything is possible…"

On the eve of the match between the Russian championship and Lokomotiv, the leading player of the St. Petersburg Zenit answered the questions “SPORT today”.


- Can a change of coach for your Sunday rivals be in the hands of Zenit?

- I think the opposite. Now it will be harder for us to win. Dolmatov is a very strong coach. And against his teams, “Zenith” always plays very hard.

- Take on to compare the coaching levels of Dolmatov and Lawyer?

- I think that any eminent European is better than a Russian coach.

- If Zenit does not win against Lokomotiv, will it have no chances for the championship?

“I think they are no longer there.” The champion will be CSKA.

- Why exactly the army team?

- Because everything is fine with them. In our championship they have no competitors. And in the game, and in other senses. A draw with Amkar does not change anything. Moreover, of the remaining rivals, we and Moscow alone will be able to really counter CSKA.

- Do you think Zenit will finish in third place as a failure?

- Not. It will be just a good result. But if we are second, it will be a great success.

- What stage are your negotiations on extending the contract with Zenit?

- So far I have not signed anything. Therefore, it’s too early to talk about anything.

- Does it make sense for you to extend your relationship with Zenit? Maybe it's time to try yourself in Europe?

- To progress in the game - you must leave. But I don’t think that somewhere in Europe they will pay me more than at Zenith. Yes, and I have not received any serious offers from European clubs. Rumors went different. But it has not yet reached concrete cases.

- And the invitation to the club at what level you take as serious? For example, do you agree to go to Schalke?

- No, perhaps. This is a good team, but I do not want to play in the German championship. I think it will not be easy for me there. Now, if the club level "Schalke", but from Spain, it would be very interesting.

- The middle peasant of the Spanish championship is in any case more promising as a stepping stone to a strong European club than the team of the Russian championship.

- It would be easier to get into a big club if Zenit played in the Champions League. And if the Russian team did not miss the world and European championships. Successful performance in such tournaments can really cause interest in yourself.

- Do you represent yourself in a T-shirt of another Russian club? In red and white, for example?

- You can be in any team. Of course, I understand that my departure from Zenit to Spartak, the St. Petersburg fans would have perceived, to put it mildly, not very well. But I have a family, and if I suddenly go to Spartak, then this action will have its own reasons.

- Pavel Pogrebnyak almost at Zenit ...

- If Zenit buys Pogrebnyak, then this will be a good acquisition. I have nothing more to say about this.

- Director Alexei Uchitel shared his plans to make a film about football. And he wants to invite Andrei Arshavin to one of the roles.

- Yes, my friends told me about it yesterday. I have already starred in a St. Petersburg series. And I came to the conclusion that I am not a very good actor. Therefore, I’m not sure that I will take part in new shootings.

Evgeny STATSENKO


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