Before the cup derby with CSKA, Jorge Carrascal spoke about playing in a new position, the importance of the upcoming match and the relationship with former CSKA partners.
— In the last game with Pari NN, we had a lot of possession of the ball, but created fewer scoring chances than usual. What didn't work out in this match?
— I think the team looked good – we controlled the ball a lot, moved it well, but the opponent was very closed. What to say if they came out with five nominal central defenders. We tried to break through this defense, but it was very difficult. Nizhny Novgorod played at home in front of their fans and really didn't want to concede, we must give them their due.
— Unfortunately, Arthur was seriously injured in Nizhny Novgorod. How did you support your teammate?
— It was a real blow for us. Unfortunately, he was seriously injured almost out of the blue. Yes, it's sad, but he has to be strong, keep working, recover. I am sure that he will come back even stronger and with a great desire to play. And we will do everything possible to help him not lose optimism and return as soon as possible.
— First Konstantin Tyukavin went out for a long time, now Arthur. How much will they be missed in the attack?
— Of course, we will miss them a lot, because these are two key players of the team. Bales scored a great move, his career was developing well, and it was very disappointing to get such an injury. But this is football, where sometimes you have to overcome such things.
— In previous matches, the team played without a central forward, and you tried yourself in the new position of the "false nine". How did you react to this idea?
— Being a football player, you have to be ready to play in any position. When I started playing football, I was just a central striker, and then I was already moved to midfield. But I still played closer to the attack and saw how the attackers were moving, so this position was not a revelation for me. You have to play where the coach sees you and always give 100 percent.
— In these 3 matches you scored 3 goals and gave one assist. Can I say that you have opened up in this position in a new way?
— Yes, I am very pleased that I am able to help the team. Now I have more opportunities to strike and play inside the penalty area. I like this position. In the past, I sometimes made such a mistake that I got too sprayed and wreaked havoc on the team's game: I tried to deliver the ball to the forwards and help the central midfielders, and since I'm good one-on-one, I fiddled with the ball a lot, sometimes far from the penalty area. Now I'm acting closer to her and I think I'm helping the team well here.
— You have already broken your personal performance record in one season, scoring 7 goals. Do you feel that you are in your best shape right now?
— To tell the truth, I don't follow statistics much. The main thing is to give one hundred percent and try to be in your best shape. Football has been my number one passion since childhood, so I am always as focused as possible on my work and try to enjoy being on the field, because it makes me happy. I am always ready to help my teammates and fight for every ball. Of course, it's great that this year it turns out to score more often. I will continue to work hard to get stronger every day.
— Which of the goals of this season do you remember the most?
— A difficult choice. Perhaps I will name the goal against CSKA, when Bitello gave a free kick, the ball bounced to me, I treated it with my chest and from the summer I punched under the crossbar. It turned out to be a beautiful goal.
— There is a game just ahead with CSKA. How important are the matches with your former club for you?
— For me, there is no special principle in them, because for me all matches are special. For me, every appearance on the field is a special event, and it doesn't matter who we play against. Of course, it's great to play against CSKA, because it's a good team with great players. Plus, in games with grandees, you don't need extra motivation.
— Do you maintain contacts with someone from the army camp?
— Yes, because I am a kind and cheerful person who is not looking for problems. And at CSKA I had excellent relations with both Russian football players and foreigners, as well as with club employees. I always tried to smile and treat everyone with respect, so I still have a good relationship with the guys, and we always enjoy talking before matches.
— In recent years, CSKA has been one of the most convenient opponents for Dynamo, but now there have been 3 defeats in a row. What is missing this season?
— In general, we have a good season, but in some matches we lack some details, which is why we lose points. It was the same in the games with CSKA, and now we have to carefully study all the mistakes and how to prepare for the second cup meeting. All series come to an end at some point, and on Wednesday we will have a great opportunity to complete this unsuccessful segment.
— The cold weather is behind us, on Wednesday it is expected to reach 20 degrees Celsius. Is this good news for you and the team?
— There is no problem for me to play in any weather and on any lawn. But it is clear that when it gets warmer, people usually feel more joyful, happy and motivated. For me, the cold is not a problem, but we need to think about the fans, who are much more pleased not to freeze in the stands, but to enjoy football in comfortable weather with their family. In general, this is good news.
— There will definitely be no problems with the fans on Wednesday, because all the tickets were sold a week before the match. Are you already looking forward to the atmosphere of an important game in a crowded stadium?
— I always say that it is very important for us to see the fans in the stands, because they motivate us and drive us forward. We are responsible to them, to our families who will be watching the game. And we want to repay them and give them a great performance.
— Given the large gap in the championship from the leaders, is the Russian Cup now a priority, or is it still possible to compete for medals?
— It is clear that we lost our points somewhere, and now the gap from the first place is impressive, but after Zenit's victory over Krasnodar, the fight will escalate. There are still a lot of matches ahead, and we need to continue to work hard and try to win all the remaining matches. The fight for the Cup is entering the final stage. We know that Dynamo fans have been waiting for the trophy for a long time, and they deserved it. We have to do everything to please them, and on Wednesday we will have a good opportunity to take another step forward. We really want to do everything to leave our mark on the history of the club.
— Marcel Licka recently said in an interview that the team lacks the killer instinct. Do you agree with him? What else needs to be added?
— Yes, I think we missed him in some matches. There have been matches when we had a lot of opportunities to score, but we didn't have enough cold-blooded actions in the final stage. There are matches when you don't need such a beautiful game as character, athletic anger and a desire to win more than the opponent. Probably, we will have to improve in this.
— This week our club turns 102 years old. What do you wish the team and the fans?
— I want to wish all the best to our wonderful club, which employs very good and pleasant people. We have very loyal fans who motivate us a lot. We really want to give them a gift on Wednesday and make this day special.