Dynamo wingback shared his impressions of the last game of the year that was held at the sold-out VTB Arena.
— You won a lot of tackles today. How difficult was it to play against the Brazilians from Zenit?
— Yes, we faced strong footballers today, including the Brazilians. In the second half, we played much better, started winning more tackles and came back from behind.
— You made an excellent cross. Tell us how you played this combination?
— We often practice this combination with Makarov at training sessions. When he assisted on me, I looked up and saw Skopintsev running into the penalty area. After that I made a cross. Normally, he shouldn't have been there, but everything went successfully. I am very glad that he managed to score.
— In the first half, Zenit did not allow much at their own goal, but after the break, Dynamo were closer to a victory. Are you satisfied with the final score?
— Yes, they played very aggressively in the first half and attacked a lot. During the break, Sandro showed us a video and explained how to go into pressure in order not to give Zenit as much space as in the first half. There was a completely different game after the interval and we took the advantage. I think we deserved to win.
— When Dynamo scored a goal, the stands exploded with joy. What was it like to play at the sold-out stadium?
— It's great that the stadium was almost full today. We felt the support of our fans. And this factor gave us additional strength and self-confidence. When the goal was scored, all the fans jumped up from their seats, and it was fine.
— The battle for the first place is still ahead. Did you realize in the second half that this is possible?
— Yes, of course, after scoring a goal, we felt new strength in ourselves. We could easily have scored again and finish the first part of the season on top in the table.
— How did you play in such a frost?
— I have almost got used to Russian frosts. Besides, it was the last day. Tomorrow I will fly to Uruguay, where I will enjoy the summer.
— What can you wish our fans for the New Year?
— I wish them a great holiday with family and friends. Keep supporting us in the upcoming year. And, in turn, we promise to do everything to help Dynamo climb as high as possible in the table.