Sandro Schwarz
The White-Blues’ head coach talks about the Betcity Russian Cup semifinal.
— Sandro, we will not beat about the bush: the last matches turned out to be unlucky for the team.
— Of course, it is impossible to argue with it. For my part, I can assure that we are angry because of these defeats ourselves. But we must understand that Dynamo have a young team and such short-term decline can sometimes happen on the path of the team's development and growth.
— Do you understand all the criticism that is being voiced now?
— Yes, of course. We constantly make high demands on ourselves, accept any fair criticism and understand what happened. However, the most important matches are ahead. And we all need to focus on these games avoiding self-condemnation. We have to look only forward. Everything is still in our hands. The most important weeks for all of us are at the end of the season. We need to put aside all unnecessary emotions that can slow us down and be focused on the main matches of the season.
— What do you think about the team’s moral state these days? Are the guys low-spirited?
— No, absolutely not. It is clear that every player is very upset about the latest results, but everyone is motivated to fight till the end. No one at Dynamo is feeling down. Every player is focused on our goals, because we are still able to achieve a lot this season – in the Premier League and in the Cup!
Fabián Balbuena and Arsen Zakharyan
— Is it possible to come to the match against Alania with a positive mood only four days after such a terrific defeat?
— Of course. It is not just possible, but it’s necessary! We all have to keep positive before the upcoming game: players, coaches, all the staff, and everyone who is involved in Dynamo and who has our club in the heart! Games like the Cup semifinal are one of the highlights of the whole season. And I'll be honest: we should not forget everything that the team has already managed to achieve during this season. It was incredible. And we want to continue.
— What do Dynamo friends and fans need to do now after the latest disappointing results?
— Come to the stadium. Help us win and get to the Cup final! At such moments, when our play is not good, our fans’ support is especially important to us. That's why we are happy to play at home in the semifinal. This means that a huge number of fans will come to the stadium and will be on our side.
I am ready to address to each of you: come and support us at the arena. We really want to get to the final and we know that our special, beloved fans are able to make a contribution to it. It will be great to achieve this historic result together. After all, we are a whole unit, one team! Bring your friends to the match. Then it will be even louder at the stadium, and we will be able to create an atmosphere that corresponds to the magnitude of this important game!