The last hour and a half before the match in the Moscow metro was not crowded. Trains heading towards the Cherkizovskaya station were crowded. From the carriages was heard: “Hey, Semak, let's forget it.” The mood among the fans was close to euphoric. If the match against Porto were successful, this evening at Lokomotiv would surely have turned into a large-scale party, a celebration of the next championship. But it did not work out.
Half an hour before the game, ticket offices, due to the lack of tickets, were closed. But the alternative trade clearly did not work out - multiple speculators, anticipating more lively demand, were giving out tickets at face value. There were unexpectedly many empty seats in the stands. From Portugal, by the way, about two hundred people arrived who got seats on the VIP platform. And 70 fans who weren’t heard at all.
(Photo: Kuzmin, Red-Army)
The lines at the first gate at the entrance to the stadium were, as always, huge. The police thoroughly searched the entrants, but everyone had long forgotten why she was doing this. Firecrackers in the stands are carried in unlimited quantities, too many drunk. In addition, the police let people through the service entrance, where they did not search anyone at all.
Every now and then fights arose. It was precisely the tipsy citizens who fought - from the outside it seemed that it was just like that, for no reason. Mounted policemen immediately approached the scene of the clash and forced their horses to trample people. Animals behaved with dignity, nevertheless trying not to injure anyone.
(Photo: Kuzmin, Red-Army)
The first banner of the match was a black poster, which was written in white letters: "We are with you, coach." Thus, the fans expressed condolences to Valery Gazzayev, in whose family the tragedy occurred.
Valery Georgievich held this meeting as calmly as ever. His depressed state was evident. He never rose from the bench, losing the right to prompt the players Nikolai Latysh. The main little perked up only once, when he had to make an early replacement. He quickly showed who should appear on the field, and again went into himself. Cyril Kochubey, who got his chance in the Champions League match, even stood a bit near Gazzaev, but did not wait for any words from him.
Gazzaev’s press conference was also fleeting. He said that the flight from Vladivostok affected the team, saying that there wasn’t enough physical strength. After that, the CSKA coach got up and left. He immediately went to the airport - the funeral of his younger brother will be held in Vladikavkaz.
Footballers of the losing club, as befits representatives of Russian football in the days of defeat, declined to comment. Only the press stopped Kirill Kochubey, who had not yet mastered this virtuoso ability of Russian football players to pose as deaf-deaf-mute. He carried a case with drinking bottles out of the locker room, but when reporters turned to him, he threw it on the floor.
- Are you satisfied with your own game?
- This is a question for the coach and the fans.
- Were you ready to enter the field?
- Yes.
After these thoughtful answers, Kochubey lifted his burden and wandered into the bus. But Elver Rahimich was more specific.
- You did not have enough strength today?
- Probably. But we cannot blame everything on our problems. Just today, Porto acted better.
- You missed an early goal. Not enough concentration?
- Probably yes. The Portuguese carried out a quick counterattack.
- Are you aware that today you may have lost a place in the playoffs? “Port” and “Arsenal” in the last round is enough to play a draw. And nothing prevents them from agreeing.
- I think there are no contractual matches at such a level (and a level lower, it turns out, are they? - A.Sh. ). We will defeat Hamburg and make it to the playoffs, even if the Portuguese draw with the English.
- If you play a draw - do not leave.
- Yes? Is it true? Let's hope that nobody will be there.
- Today, Valery Gazzayev, for obvious reasons, did not lead the game as actively as he could. Did you miss this?
- I don’t know, maybe ... I don’t pay attention to it during the match.
Alexey Shevchenko