Dynamo head coach Marcel Licka answered journalists’ questions after the season opener against Fakel (3:1).
— I am in a great mood. Today, before Fomin's red card, the team played well and tried to be good in passing. We scored a goal from a set-piece that we worked on yesterday. Unfortunately, then there was an episode in which Fomin was involved. I did not fully see it, so I cannot pass judgement on it. There is VAR for this, so there are no complaints about the referees.
In the second half it was hard — we survived and supported each other. There was excellent teamwork. Also, we had 3-4 very good chances that we could not convert. The opponent was very well prepared physically. They have a good level of players who know how to put pressure on defense. We took the first small step in the new season — we won 3:1 in a difficult situation. I am very happy and congratulate the team on 3 points.
— Say a few words about Andrey Lunyov’s debut match and his impact on the team.
— Andrey is a very calm person and he knows how to play under pressure. He plays great with his feet and does not panic under pressure. He gives the team calmness and confidence. When the Russian Cup starts, Igor Leshchuk will play in it, and there will be good competition.
— Why did you choose to field Bessmertnyi instead of Skopintsev in the starting line-up?
— Skopintsev fell ill before the game against Spartak and returned to the first team only on Thursday. Bessmertnyi has been with us for a long time. He is physically well prepared. We have already tried this scheme in the derby against Spartak, when Dasa moved to the left and Bes played right. He played well, but received a yellow card in the first half, so we decided not to risk and replaced him at halftime.
— Did you like the performance of two centre-backs Majstorovic and Lepskiy?
— Milan showed top play during the pre-season. He is only 19 years old, and it seems like he has already played 5-6 seasons at a high level. Lepskiy also played at a good level. Ilyin, Markov, Appayev are strong forwards, and Leps managed to win the fight against them. He slept through one moment at the end of the first half, but I know that he will make mistakes. Young players need to go through them to get better. I told the youngsters: this is your chance, if you want to stay with us in the fall, you have to play well and not be afraid. It’s great experience for them. Today, eight players from the Dynamo Academy took part in the match – this is a big bonus for the team, it’s very good.
— Do you have a feeling that there were too many unnecessary cards?
— I also think there were a lot of yellow cards today. I always prefer when the referees let play more and allow tough fighting. On the other hand, each referee has his own style of officiating. I think the referee whistled what he saw today. If VAR had considered that there was an error in the moment when Fomin was sent off, then it would have intervened. I want to say that players should be protected. We have technically gifted players like Carrascal, Bitello, Ngamaleu, who are often fouled against. We want to see nice football, and sometimes the opponents play too aggressively against such players and try to knock them down from the beginning of the match. I would like the referees to protect them more.
