The defender of Dynamo Nicolas Marichal spoke about the upcoming match with Rubin, his performance and the role of a young father.
– In Nizhny Novgorod, the team had a big advantage, but missed the victory. What was not enough to put the squeeze on the opponent?
– It was a good game in which we created a lot of scoring chances, but we didn't have enough specifics when completing attacks. It's a shame that we couldn't snatch victory in the second half, when we had a numerical advantage. We will try to improve.
– You reacted superemotionally to the episode at the end of our penalty area, even the referee had to pull you away from the opponent. What happened there?
– Nothing serious. I reacted this way because we really wanted to win, and the opponent was holding up the ball and not letting us start the attack. But these are all emotions that remain on the field, everything was fine after the game.
– Judging by such emotions, we can say that the championship games also remain important, even though they no longer have much tournament significance?
– Of course, because we want to win every game and rise in the standings. Yes, we know that we are well behind the leaders, but this does not mean that we should go out on the field and play carelessly. We have to take every next game as seriously as possible.
– You have already scored your fifth goal this season, and not once in your entire career before that. Where did this performance come from?
– Yes, I didn't get any goals before, but this season there are already five of them, and this is a very positive moment for me personally, because now I am helping the team in this component as well. I guess it says something about my progress, and that's great.
– Who do you send kisses and hearts to every time after scoring a goal?
– I almost always dedicate my goals to my family. For example, the first one was to his wife, who was still pregnant at the time. Now our son Bautista is already seven months old. And the last time he folded his palms in the shape of the letter S to wish his sister Stephanie a happy birthday.
– How hard is it to cope with the role of a young father?
– It was hard in the first months, when we slept very little, and in the morning we had to go to training, and it affected. It is clear that most of the worries were on my wife, for which I thank her very much. We're used to it now, so there's no problem.
– Tell us about your love story.
– We lived in the same city in Uruguay, which has only 7 thousand inhabitants. We started dating there, by the way, next month it will be 6 years since we have been together. Then we moved to Montevideo, from there we moved to Moscow, got married a year ago, and now we are raising our son. I am very happy.
– Does she like Russia?
– Very much. It is clear that the first months were difficult due to ignorance of the language, but it helped that she speaks English well. Now she's completely settled in, and she likes everything. Especially the fact that it's safe here.
– Is it safer than in Uruguay?
– Yes, I was personally surprised when I saw children here alone on the streets, who were returning from school or skating. In Uruguay, security issues are more complicated.
– Rubens was seriously injured in the game with Pari NN. How was he supported in the team?
– Unfortunately, this is football, and no one is immune from this. And it is clear that you never expect this. We will definitely miss him at the end of the season. Of course, we supported him, told him not to lose heart, and that we would help him recover.
– Ahead of the match with Rubin, which will be dedicated to the birthday of Dynamo. Does this impose additional responsibility on you?
– I think so. It's a pity that we couldn't win directly on the club's birthday, but now we have a chance to improve and please the fans who will come to the stadium. In principle, we always have a big responsibility, because we play for a great club and we must always try to win.
– Mirlin Daku will not play at Rubin due to too many yellow cards. A great help for you?
– I think so, because Daku is one of the strongest strikers in the league. He is very fast, powerful and smart, and with him the team becomes stronger. So it's good for us that he won't play.
– What are the top 3 strikers in the RPL that are the hardest to play against?
– I'll put Jhon Cordoba in the first place, just Daku in the second. And if we take this season, then Brian Hill from Baltika will take third place.
– Did you know that Roman Sharonov is a legend of Rubin?
– Yes, when he joined the club, I read that he played for the Kazan club for a long time, became a champion and was a favorite of local fans. Now he helps us a lot, sorts out mistakes with us, says that we should always keep our concentration and help each other.
– Roman is a big rock fan. What kind of music do you prefer?
– I don't really like rock, I prefer cumbia or reggaeton more.
– You recently played your hundredth match for Dynamo. How important is this milestone for you?
– Of course, this is a great achievement in my career, because this is the first club for which I have played so many matches. It was a very emotional moment, and I hope that we have many more matches and victories ahead of us.
– There is a serious rotation in the center of defense this season – you play with Osipenko, Fernandez, David. Who are you most comfortable with?
– We have four strong central defenders, so it is not surprising that there is a rotation. It's easy for me with everyone. It is clear that we speak the same language with Roberto and David, but Max speaks a little English, I understand Russian, so there are no problems with him either.
– You have come out on the right in defense several times, how comfortable are you there?
– To be honest, I like the center more. Sometimes I lose my position on the flank, but if the coach sees me there, then I will go out and do everything to help the team.
– Will your versatility and high performance help you get into the national team for the World Cup?
– Maybe it will help. I feel great now, and these goals have given me even more confidence in myself. So I will work every day to show myself to the coaches of the national team, and I will wait for the challenge. Although I understand that there are many strong Uruguayan defenders, and it will not be easy to get into the team for the World Cup.
