Marcel Licka: "We were closer to victory than Zenit in the second half"

— Dynamo could have taken three points today. What are your impressions of the match?

— In the second half we were closer to victory than Zenit. But Sobolev also had a good chance at the very end. I was upset by the first 15-20 minutes when we had nervousness. There were situations when we had to play quickly, but the players took the ball and then gave it back to the defenders. Everyone stood in their positions without moving, took the ball without moving – it took a very long time.

When the opponent scored, we started to play better and at the end of the half we gained the necessary intensity. It is clear that a goal before halftime always helps. During the break, I talked only about the mental component, that there is no need to be afraid of anyone. You just have to go out and play your football. I think we did it in the second half, and we could have beaten Zenit.

— Again, there were several moments when the team made the fans nervous when passing near its own goal.

— This is also about what I was talking about – about confidence. What we repeat a hundred times in training should be done in games. Lunev took the ball and looked at who to give it to, but there was no movement, and he had to knock it forward where there were no tall players. We need to look for other options and help Lunev.

— A question about refereeing: do cards not shown at the beginning or in the middle of the game affect the team? After all, these players continue to play aggressively and are not afraid to foul.

— I told the players not to communicate with the referees at all. If you start talking to them or throwing the ball away, you can get a card. I told them to observe discipline and look only at themselves. It is clear that you can not play without emotions, and also shouted from the edge.

There was a moment when the referee gave a foul to Fernandez on Luis Enrique. There could not have been such a whistle in the English Premier League, because there was an ordinary men's duel. And Robie started talking to the judge, so I yelled at him to shut up and concentrate on his work. I try to show more good emotions, because if the players see my negative reaction, they will repeat it, they will start receiving cards, and we can lose to ourselves. So one of the most important tasks was to concentrate on your game.

— You used to criticize Yaroslav Gladyshev. How close is he now to what you require of him?

— At the beginning of the season, it was already clear that his mentality had begun to change, that he was starting to show men's football. This process has been going on for quite some time. I remember criticizing him after big games when he sometimes ran away from the fight. Now he is winning the fight against Roсhа, Nino, Erakovic and other strong defenders. Plus, Gladi scores, so in the last month he has improved even more and helps us a lot.

— Both teams refused high pressure, and you said that at the beginning the team played fearfully. What was the setup for the match?

— We also didn't want to put too much pressure from the very beginning, because Zenit has Wendel, Santos, Nino – players who only need this. They know how to play one-on-one and can specifically pull players on themselves so that holes can be formed behind them that can be used. I don't remember that there was high pressure at all in our games with Zenit. When there is an opponent under pressure, playing facing his goal, or you see that you manage to block the diagonal, you can take advantage of it, but if the ball is already under the control of Zenit, then you have to stop and wait for your chance.

In the first round match, we tried to press Santos, and he always made diagonals to the right central defender, after which there were attacks from the right flank. This is the skill of players who are not afraid to take risks. We also have smart players, and we want to use this – Fabi can also pull players on himself and give the ball between the lines.

— When determining the squad, did you think about the match with Spartak on Tuesday?

— We are professionals. I don't see a problem in having an intense game and recovering in two days. Plus, we played at two o'clock in the afternoon, and now we will have 76 hours to recover. If a football player behaves professionally on and off the field, then that's enough. Plus, we are well prepared physically. So on Tuesday we may well go out with the same squad, I don't see a problem with that. If we want to strive for the best leagues, then we need to do it. Tuesday will be a super important match for us, and I'm not afraid that we won't be ready for it.

— Danil Glebov played well today. Has he fully adapted to your style yet?

— Danil has already shown himself in previous games. We needed such a player in the team. I don't want to evaluate only his performance on the field. The intensity with which he trains, how he shows leadership qualities in the locker room is a big plus for the team. Every training session for him is like a game with Zenit.