Endurance test, team atmosphere and hope for a full house: how the Russian team is preparing for the match with Scotland

The Russian national football team continues to prepare for the 2020 European Championship qualifying matches with Cyprus and Scotland. On Tuesday, the second training took place at the base near Moscow in Novogorsk.

All players of the national team were engaged in a common group. Only minor midfielders Daler Kuzyaev and Dmitry Barinov worked with minor restrictions, and physiotherapists carefully watched the right lateral Mario Fernandez. After the usual exercises, the wards of Stanislav Cherchesov passed endurance testing.

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“We count on a full stadium”

After completing the training, Andrey Semenov shared his impressions of the preparatory process. He admitted that he was looking forward to entering the field as part of the national team.

“The weather is good, the most for training. Now we are developing schemes for the game with Scotland. I will not reveal all the cards. In the first match, they could not immediately reorganize to the necessary level after playing for clubs, but then everything worked out. I am personally in a good mood. I missed the national team, ”the defender admitted.

Barinov shared his opinion on the future rival. In the first match with the Scots, he managed to spend 30 minutes on the field.

“It’s always difficult to replace, especially at that moment the opponent put pressure on us, the people. It was necessary to push the game from their gates. It seems to work out: we won. As for the plan for the upcoming game, I will not say anything now, on October 10 you will see everything. How can Scotland surprise us? I don’t know, maybe I’ll play two forwards. Now we are watching and analyzing their matches, ”said the Lokomotiv midfielder.

He emphasized that he was ready to take any chance given to him by the coaching staff and enter the field in the first team. An important factor for Dmitry will be that the upcoming match will most likely be watched by club scouts from Foggy Albion.

“England is my personal dream. Probably any national team player dreams of this, including myself, ”said the Lokomotiv midfielder.

As part of the Scottish national team on the field, he will confront Scott Mactominey. Barinov said that he did not consider him an outstanding player, however, he was not going to underestimate his opponent.

“What is his strength? I don’t know, maybe he’s just powerful, tall? If he plays for Manchester United, then he has great potential, ”he said.

Defender Sergei Petrov also shared his expectations from the upcoming meeting.

“Yesterday we watched the match, sorted it out. I think we will not build on the weaknesses of the Scots, but on our strengths. And we’ll leave it to ourselves on what positions to push, ”the footballer emphasized.

In addition, he added that the support of fans will be an important factor on Thursday.

“The first time I'll be at Luzhniki Stadium. Probably only with "Wings" came there to play before the reconstruction. But now this is a completely different place, the country's main football arena. Already read that sold 45 thousand tickets. But we are counting on a full stadium that will support the national team, ”Petrov said.

Semenov expressed a similar point of view.

“In fact, all of our last matches have been emotional. Both in Kaliningrad and Rostov, the stands drive the team forward. I hope that here the stadium will also hurt. I don’t care where to play, the main thing is that this is the Russian team, the highest emotional level possible, ”the defender concluded.

“We think only about the next match”

Many football players have repeatedly noted the warm atmosphere that prevails in the team.

“Yesterday I talked with Jikia, I have a good relationship with him. I don’t tease anyone, on the contrary, I say that everything will work out and everything will be fine, ”Barinov said.

In the match of the 12th round, red and white lost to Krasnodar with a score of 1: 2. One of the goals was chalked up by Petrov, and Dzhikia was removed after a violation on Dmitry Skopintsev.

According to the defender, this episode was not discussed in the camp of the national team.

“Jikia and I did not talk about this. This is a game moment, football. It's a shame that the person was injured. But it happens. Therefore, nobody touches George, ”Petrov assured.

He also highlighted the relationship within the team. According to him, no one is afraid of competition, as it only contributes to the growth of the team.

“Good team, good coaching staff. It's always nice to come here, it always motivates. And in everyday life everything is at the highest level, ”the footballer said.

In turn, Semenov confirmed the words of partners, adding that Cherchesov’s wards are trying to ignore what is happening in the Russian championship.

“I am comfortable with Jikia, we know each other's strengths and weaknesses. We are not thinking about clubs now, only about the next match with Scotland. As for the change of coach at Akhmat, these are working moments, football life. Everything is fine, ”the defender concluded.