Dynamo head coach Sandro Schwarz answered numerous questions at a press conference on the eve of the WB show match with CSKA.
– How important will the upcoming match at VTB Arena be for you?
– It will be a very important match for us against a good club. We are very pleased with the way the pre-season training is going, and we have the last step left, after which we will begin direct preparations for the first round match.
– Is there a feeling that the team is already staffed? What positions should be strengthened?
– I know that everyone is interested in questions about the squad and transfers, but for me the most important thing now is those 26 field players and 4 goalkeepers who are preparing with the team. The transfer window is open until September, and I am sure there will be news on this topic. I always say that the best transfer is to train hard every day and follow the principles of our game.
– How do you feel in Russia after returning? Has the level of RPL increased over the past time?
– After a month of training camp, I can say that I enjoy every day spent at this club. My family is coming in two weeks, and I'm sure they will experience the same feelings. From what I saw in the friendly games and the games I watched last season – and I watched 80 percent of Dynamo matches – I can say that the individual qualities of the players, the intensity of the game, the physical fitness of the teams are at a high level. In the RPL, you can't win by playing at 80 or even 90 percent of your capabilities. And you also need a striker who can score goals, and we have him.
– This time all the control games at the training camp were closed. Is this your initiative?
– It was not only my decision that the games would be closed. We can talk openly about every game of our team. From the very first day I was very pleased to work with the guys, to see their attitude, and the friendly games were mostly very good, but of course we have something to improve before the start of the season.
– You opened Konstantin Tyukavin and Arsen Zakharyan for Dynamo. Are there any young players now who can shoot the same way?
– It is difficult to compare players of different positions and what happened four or five years ago with today. There are talented young players in our team with serious potential. And I am sure that we will see them on the field.
– There are quite a few players left from the squad that you coached in your first visit. Which of them has gained the most?
– We had a great conversation with Bales when he returned to the location of the team, and I told him straight out that I could not treat him the same as five years ago, because he now has a completely different status in the country and the club. I don't want to compare players. We have spent four weeks training, we want to play in our style and we want to show it already on Saturday in the game against CSKA.
– Your teams are known for playing pressuring and aggressive football. How ready are all the players for this style? In particular, Bitello and Anton Miranchuk?
– We want to play very intensively and actively both with and without the ball. After four weeks of preparation, I can say that the team is working well and we are seeing great progress in friendly matches. If we talk about Bitello, everyone thinks that he is not aggressive enough without the ball, but he is very active, does a lot of running work and is always hungry for wins – he is a very important player for us. And he feels responsible to the whole team.
– In what position do you see Rubens – on the left in defense or in the support zone?
– In some matches we looked at him in the positions of six and eight, but in the last meeting with CSKA he played on the left. He's a very flexible player, so we'll see where we use him during the season.
– Who do you see as the first number of Dynamo?
– It is important that the team has a clear number one, and now it is Andrei Lunev – he will play against Krylia Sovetov. Kurban is a young and very talented goalkeeper, I know Leshchuk's qualities very well, Kudravets is also a good goalkeeper, but it was important for us to identify the main goalkeeper. I would also like to say right away that Daniil Fomin will be the captain of the team, and Konstantin Tyukavin will help him.
– Many people argue about where Bitello shows his best qualities. What position do you see him in?
– He moves a lot on the field – sometimes he plays on the left, sometimes in the position of eight or ten. We want to have as many options as possible when pressing and playing with the ball. The most important thing is that the players understand each other.
– For you, Ivan Sergeev is a clean replacement for Tyukavin, or can he play on the flanks?
– Vanya can play on the flank. We tried it in one of the friendly games. At the same time, I am sure that there will be moments when both of our forwards will be on the field.
– What is the condition of Milan Majstorovic?
– At the beginning of the preparation, Milan was engaged on a par with everyone. He has been working on an individual program for the last 6-7 days, but I think he will return to the general group on Monday.
– Do you have the main pair of central defenders in your head?
– On Saturday we will try both pairs of defenders. I can say that all our central defenders are top-level, so it's good that I still have time to think about my choice.
– Juan Caceres will probably miss the start of the season. Who will play on the right?
– Caceres will arrive next Friday on the eve of the match, so he will definitely not play with the Wings. We'll see how Milan trains next week, plus we have Leon, who has performed well in the last four weeks.
