Sandro Schwarz: We will try to show our best football on Lev Yashin's birthday

— We will face an experienced opponent which has good players in its squad. Khimki use different formations, but they always stick to a scheme based on three centre-backs. They are effective both in transitions and counterattacks. We need to play disciplined in defense, and perform in attack with maximum energy. When losing the ball, we have to quickly come into tackles.

As for the history of the clash between our teams, I know it and remember the matches of the last season. We have analyzed all these encounters and are ready for tomorrow's battle.

— Khimki have not conceded in recent matches. What did you focus on during this training week?

— Khimki have played very reliably in defense in the last three matches. We have to understand how we will break their defensive lines. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain a balance between attack and defense, to be careful during possible counterattacks of the opponent.

— The match against Khimki will be held on Lev Yashin's birthday. Does it impose additional responsibility on the team?

— Yes, it will be a special day for us. Lev Yashin is a true legend of the club. Of course, we will try to show our best football and make the fans happy both by the play and the result.

— How did the team psychologically recover from the missed victory in the game against Spartak?

— Of course, we were upset after the match. We analyzed this game and understood that we had made several mistakes in defense. But we should not forget that the team showed good football for 85 minutes and that we faced a strong opponent. Now we are coming to the match against Khimki on the positive wave.

— When you fielded two players as substitutes in the derby, it seemed that you wanted to do it a little earlier. What bothered you?

— Yes, that's right. There was a high intensity of emotions, some kind of hurry, and we couldn't do it a little earlier. It is likely that in this case, Spartak would not have been able to equalize. But everything turned out the way it turned out.

— Will Daniil Lesovoy have time to recover before the end of the year? What are Denis Makarov’s conditions?

— Daniil is very professional about his recovery. We plan that he will take part in the winter training camp. Makarov is making progress. He trains individually on the pitch, and it is likely that we will count on him in tomorrow's encounter.

— Is Fabián Balbuena available for the upcoming match? He missed the derby against Spartak.

— Fabián was involved in the entire training week cycle and is fully available for the game.

— Will Konstantin Tyukavin make the starting line-up? Have you decided who will take the goal?

— Tyukavin is always a starting line-up option. When we will choose the scheme, we will decide who will come out from the first minutes. The goalkeeping question is quite delicate. I would not like to raise it every week. Anton Shunin played well against Spartak and he will be at the goal tomorrow. Igor Leshchuk is also a very high-quality goalkeeper who proves his skills during every training session. We understand that we have two strong goalkeepers.

— Do you already know who will replace the disqualified Sebastian Szymanski?

— We have different options. We can change the formation. Zakharyan can play in the middle, or we can also field Kutitsky.

— Several players are on the verge of disqualification ahead of the match against Zenit. Will you ask them to play more carefully?

— No, we won't talk about it. Let's see how the match will go on and perhaps we will make some changes along the way. We need one hundred percent devotion from the players, healthy aggression to maintain a high tempo of the game.

— A rugby match was held at the VTB Arena. Were you interested in the state of the pitch after that?

— At the moment I have no information about the pitch, but I am sure that it will be well prepared for tomorrow's match.

— You invited Babayev, Mikhailin and Alexandrov to train with the first team. Will they enter the team list for the next matches?

— We are constantly inviting young players. It is important to gradually involve our talents in training. We need to give them the opportunity to prove themselves. I note that the guys show themselves well in the training process.

— This fall, Dynamo do not play very well after the international break. How much does the departure of the team's key players influence the squad? And if it happens, do you consider the possibility of limiting their performances for national teams?

— First of all, the new experience the players get in the national teams is a positive factor for them. These call-ups are a confirmation of the play quality and their attitude to football. Yes, physical and psychological loads increase. After the return it is not easy for them to immediately switch to a play for the club. But we can't underestimate the experience they get in the national teams. It certainly influences their progress as footballers.

After the break, we lost to Nizhny Novgorod, but then we won over Sochi and Rubin. We showed high-quality football against Spartak, but we were not lucky in the end. The guys are in good shape now.

— How did you celebrate your first birthday in Russia? What gifts did you receive?

— Gifts are not the most important thing here. The main thing is that I received a lot of touching congratulations from the players and the staff. I am glad that I could share these emotions with the staff of our club. My six friends from Germany who visited Moscow for the first time came to me. We spent a wonderful evening. Most importantly, everyone is alive and happy.