Anton Shunin: This season is marked by big progress for the whole team

— The game brought us bitterness and negative emotions. It was my second Cup final and, unfortunately, we couldn't win for the second time. I think the fans really liked this match and they will remember it. We have created a holiday. The team has been preparing for it for a long time and it has made a hard way.

I would like to support Daniil Fomin. He is one of the team leaders. Daniil didn't miss a penalty by this match, but today he couldn't score. The whole team supported him in this situation. He tried to apologize, but I think there is nothing to apologize for. He took on such a responsibility once again and performed a penalty at such a crucial moment. He didn't score – it doesn’t matter. We are one team and one family. It is in trouble that the family is known.

We lost this game, but we lost it with dignity. I think if we had converted a penalty, the result would have been completely different.

— Fans are discussing Igor Leshchuk’s performance.

— I don't want to comment on Igor's actions. This is wrong and incorrect on my part. We are one team, a single unit in which everyone supports each other. I don’t want to criticize the play of my teammates.

Moreover, I would like to thank our team for this season. A few people believed in us, but we have walked a long way and made a big step forward. Many teams began to fear and respect us. This is the merit of our coaching staff, who has built an atmosphere and a real team. It wasn't easy to change our style, our play, explain the vision of football they wanted to see. We have a lot of young guys in the squad who have moved from the youth team to the first team. It's been a great season but we weren't happy with it. There is bitterness even from the third place. We reached the Cup final and did it ourselves.

There were a huge number of our fans today, and more of them came to the matches throughout the season. This is big progress for the whole team. We are moving upwards. I am sure that we will not stop, as well as the management is seeing our progress and believes in us. Every time they come to the dressing room after matches, they prove it both in words and in deeds. Therefore, we will keep moving forward.

— Sandro Schwarz announced his departure from the club. Have you said goodbye to him yet?

— We have another evening ahead of us, at which Sandro will repeat that he is leaving the club. It's a pity to hear that the head coach, who has been building the team for almost two years, is leaving, but this is life. I would like our fans not to get upset in any way. This is just the beginning!

— A new coach always rebuilds the team. Are there any fears that everything that has been built over the past two years will remain in the past?

— There are no worries. I will say more – this experience that we have gained over these two years, especially this season, will mark the beginning of a new road. Many guys felt what it was like to compete for the championship and the trophy, so I am sure that we will continue to do it with a new coach.

— Did you understand before the game that the head coach would leave the team?

— There were a lot of talks about it. Everyone understood that this could happen, but everyone wanted to play to the maximum in order to draw a line under this hard season.