35 thousand tickets sold, Wanderson's return and Ari's advice: how Krasnodar prepares for the Champions League debut

Less than a day remains until the meeting of the third qualifying round of the Champions League, in which Krasnodar will host Porto at home. The whole city is actively preparing for the debut of the team at such a high level, and many fans expressed a desire to personally observe the historical confrontation. According to the press service of the bulls, all the seats in the stands of the stadium of the same name (and there are more than 35 thousand) were sold out, and 15 thousand tickets were sold on the first day of sales.

However, the flip side is also present with such a great stir: some speculators offer tickets for an amount seven times higher than the initial cost. Employees of the stadium and the police were involved in the fight against them.

At the same time, a big football festival, accompanied by recreational activities in public places, will not interfere with the normal life of the city. It is reported that 333 law enforcement officers will follow the order on the day of the meeting.

Football players of the Portuguese team arrived in Krasnodar on the eve and have already managed to explore the city. In particular, they walked along the main street of Krasnaya, famous for its museums, theaters and architectural monuments.

💪Bom dia, Krasnodar # FCPorto # UCL # FCKFCPpic.twitter.com / Vrd66ivsx6

“We will proceed from our strengths”

In anticipation of the debut in the Champions League, the head coach of Krasnodar Sergey Matveev answered questions from journalists. He talked about the team’s readiness for a meeting with Porto, and also drew a parallel with the match of the fourth round of the RPL, in which it tied with the St. Petersburg Zenit.

- In what condition is Krasnodar coming to a meeting with Porto?

- Everything is in order with the team. We were satisfied with the result of the match with Zenit. We understand that the city is waiting for the upcoming game, all tickets are sold out. We are ready for it.

- Midfielder Vanderson missed the meeting of the fourth round of the championship of Russia. Will he take to the field tomorrow?

- Yes, the Brazilian had a slight temperature, but he is already training with us and is likely to take part in tomorrow's match.

- Probably, Porto will actively press Krasnodar across the entire width of the field. What do you intend to counter this?

- In the game with Zenit, there were some nuances that did not suit us. We are trying to eliminate them. We are aware that Porto is a difficult team, so we will try to use our strengths. Of course, they will do the same. Therefore, let’s see who better to cope with their task.

- Will it be an advantage for you that for Porto tomorrow's match will be the first of the season?

- Yes, we have already held several meetings in the championship of Russia, and perhaps this will really be of help to us. But I would not dare to talk about it with complete confidence.

- “Krasnodar” practices attacking football, although sometimes the second game brought a positive result. Is it worth it to move away from familiar tactics?

- No, I do not think so. We will proceed from our strengths and try to impose our game. We do not plan to focus on Porto.

- Many called the match with Zenit a rehearsal for Porto. What is the similarity between the two teams?

- Indeed, in the game Porto resembles Zenit. They quickly go on the attack, using medium and long gears. It was a good rehearsal because the meeting turned out to be tense. The team suffered in those moments when something did not work out. It will help us tomorrow too.

“Happy to play the Champions League again”

Forward “Krasnodar” Ari also shared his expectations from the upcoming match and told what parting words he gives to his teammates.

- What can you say about Porto?

- I know that this is a strong team, so the result of the meeting will depend entirely on us. Krasnodar has the opportunity to hold the first match at home, where our fans will support us. Therefore, it is important to achieve a positive result.

- How will the experience of the Portuguese help them in tomorrow's game?

- Porto regularly plays in the Champions League. But we will adhere to the tactics that the head coach will tell us.

- You are one of the leaders of Krasnodar. What role will you play tomorrow?

- For me, the most important thing is to be on the field and help my team. I don’t know what composition will be playing for Porto, but I am always at the disposal of the head coach, no matter what decision he makes. Without exception, all football players are ready to demonstrate what they are capable of.

- You have more experience in the Champions League than your teammates. What would you advise them on the eve of tomorrow's meeting?

- I am very happy that I will play in this tournament once again, and I am glad that I am part of Krasnodar. I’m trying to convey to partners that this is a very important competition in which everyone wants to speak. Therefore, you need to show good football in order to achieve something more. We are all ready and extremely concentrated.