"PAOK realized that he had no more chances": how Russia reacted to Krasnodar's entry into the Champions League group stage

The head coach of Krasnodar Murad Musayev called the victory over PAOK and the entry into the group stage of the Champions League a historic event not only for the club, but for the entire city.

He noted that even injuries of a number of players did not prevent the team from winning the return match.

“We gave a lot of emotions, it's hard now to find the right words and make a correct analysis of the match.

We are happy that we were able to reach the group stage.

This is a historic victory for our city and for our club, which is not so many years old.

We understood that it would be a tough match, we had staff difficulties.

Some footballers entered the game with injuries.

Most often we play beautiful football, but it is impossible to achieve great victories without character, without a team.

I'm glad they were on the field today, ”Musaev said at a press conference.

The bulls' mentor paid tribute to the opponent and admitted that in the first half, his players did not look very convincing.

However, this, he said, made the victory even more enjoyable.

“It was difficult, the opponents looked good physically and pressed us powerfully.

We did not succeed in everything, especially in the first half, but we found the right moment and were able to score, after which we were not taken aback when PAOK equalized.

This is a victory first of all for the team.

The guys gave all their strength, we are in a tight schedule, with a small clip.

Therefore, this victory is even more valuable, ”Musaev said.

The coach also commented on the replacement of Igor Smolnikov.

It was after the blow of the defender that an own goal took place, which allowed Krasnodar to take the lead.

“Igor's exit decided a lot in this match.

He came to our team not so long ago.

We have a lot of competition among the flank defenders, but Igor works a lot at each training session, giving the highest numbers.

He always fights to the last.

It took time to integrate it into the line-up, and today its release brought a certain turning point.

Igor did not come out from the first minutes, because we wanted the attackers to play at the top.

We understood that in the second half there would be more space, and Smolnikov was a fast footballer.

All this has justified itself, ”Musaev said.

Midfielder Daniil Utkin also noted that Krasnodar has achieved historic success.

At the same time, he expressed the opinion that if PAOK had managed to open an account, this would not have affected the final result of the match.

“First of all, it was a tough game, but we were a team that fought and achieved results.

Thanks to all the footballers and staff for making this happen and entering the Champions League.

This is history.

I am very happy.

We played to win from the very beginning, and if PAOK had scored, we would have continued to play in attack as well.

It would not affect the result, ”said the footballer.

Defender Yuri Gazinsky recalled how last year Krasnodar failed to make it to the group stage, having suffered two defeats at Olympiacos.

Then he promised the fans that the team would not repeat this.

“Last year, after the match with Olympiacos, in which I did not participate, I wrote that this is not the last Champions League anthem we will hear.

I would like to dedicate the victory to the fans who have been waiting for it for a long time and believed in us.

There was a lot of talk that we would not go further, but our task was to achieve a result, which we did.

We went to this for a long time, not everything worked out, but I am proud of the team.

I am very glad that I am a part of Krasnodar, ”Gazinsky said.

The player also said that the moment with his own goal was not without luck.

But at the same time he made a reservation that Krasnodar himself managed to get Ioannis Mikhailidis to score into his own goal.

“Today, not everything turned out the way we would like, but the main thing was to achieve victory.

We always strive to show a good game, but today it was equally important to achieve a result.

We also had chances to increase the advantage in the first match, but it was in the second game that we scored key goals.

In the case of our own goal we were a little lucky, but, on the other hand, we forced the opponent to make a mistake, ”Gazinsky told the Championship.

Igor Smolnikov admitted that he wanted the team not to feel ashamed of the result after the second match with PAOK.

The defender noted that the entire Krasnodar will be waiting for the arrival of the best European clubs to the Champions League matches.

“You can't describe what happened in the locker room.

The coach thanked everyone.

Said we did a good job, we deserved it.

And he is very happy that this dream called "Champions League" has come to Krasnodar.

The whole city is there looking forward to it.

We just went to the match with the spirit so that we would not be ashamed in front of us, and after the game did not take our eyes off each other.

We agreed to give all our strength, everything that we have, for the sake of victory.

In principle, everything turned out that way, "Smolnikov told Match TV.

Goalkeeper Matvey Safonov admitted that he dreamed of making his way to the group stage of the Champions League and was now able to achieve this together with the team.

He also talked about his feelings during the match and compared the first half with the second.

“Of course I feel joy.

We can say that we have gone to this for more than one season.

Last year there was only one step left before the group stage.

It was a goal for me and the whole team, a small dream for us and the fans.

Now it came true, and only positive emotions remained.

They were thrown out in the locker room, now I have calmed down.

In the first half, I didn't feel anything special.

The second was harder for me, when the bulk went, we scored and conceded, it became emotionally difficult.

But it's good that we scored the second goal.

I think then PAOK realized that he had no more chances, ”Safonov said.

Striker Markus Berg said that he has been waiting for the opportunity to play in the main round of the Champions League all his life.

He noted that in matches like with PAOK, one cannot think about pain and injuries.

“I've been waiting for this for a very long time, my entire career.

So I am very happy and proud of the whole team.

This is a big, significant event for the club and Krasnodar.

It was different a year ago, but we deserved to win on aggregate.

If you win both matches, then you deserve it.

We achieved a result in the first meeting, based on which we had to play.

In such matches you don't think about where what hurts you.

This is a fight that you don't want to miss, unless your leg is broken, ”said the Swedish forward.

Midfielder Tonny de Villena did not hide his feelings after the match with PAOK.

According to him, the whole team was determined only to win.

“We all have great feelings.

Before the match, they said that they had come here to win.

We won and advanced to the Champions League.

This is a historic event for the club, for the entire city, for the fans.

We did it for the first time! "

De Villena said.

The owner of Krasnodar Sergei Galitsky discreetly commented on his team's first entry into the group stage of the Champions League.

On his Twitter, he posted only an inverted smiling emoticon.

🙃

- Sergey Galitskiy (@sergeygalitskiy) September 30, 2020

Zenit striker Artyom Dzyuba watched the game of Krasnodar and PAOK on TV.

During the match, he expressed his admiration for the Russian team's performance and responded to ill-wishers who criticized the level of Russian football.

“Come on, relatives, well done!

To everyone who says that the Russian championship is the bottom.

We got it already.

Bravo, bravo, bravo! "

- Dziuba said in the videos that he posted on his Instagram.

In turn, journalist Vasily Utkin drew attention to how much Krasnodar was able to earn thanks to reaching the main round of the Champions League.

According to the commentator, the team fully deserved its prize money.

“Three teams in the Champions League is very cool.

I never share the message of many of my colleagues - to fight for points, for odds, so that there are more teams.

All this is important, of course.

But much more important if you count money.

Reducing representation, primarily in the Champions League, is a loss of money.

Krasnodar earned about € 25 million. And in this particular sense the word “deserved” is very appropriate.

Because "Krasnodar" was built thoroughly, kilograms of money were spent, and this is the first such steep financial arrival.

And these are the funds that have come to our Russian league and will be spent on development, "Utkin wrote in his Telegram channel.