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SEMAK: QUALIFICATION MORE DIFFICULT THAN FINAL
The Russian national team is entering a new qualification round, the
world championship. Ahead of the stating match the captain of our team
Sergei Semak gave an interview to Sport Express.
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Photo: english.sport-express.ru
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"We have raised the bar very high," said Sergei.
"And our supporters will expect only victories together with interesting
game. But the fight will be hard - and not only with the German team as
many people think. The previous tournaments show that almost all European
countries have learnt to play football."
"Though we shouldn't be afraid of anybody, we just should be concentrated
for all 900 minutes of the round."
"The current qualification is more difficult than the one of the
European championship, as only one team gets to the final round directly
from the group. And if you make mistakes nobody will help you the way
Croatia did. I think that qualification is always more difficult than
the final stage of the championship. Before the final the team have a
long get-together and they can get into necessary form while during the
qualification anything can happen. And moreover the teams failure to edge
into the final leads to more harsh consequences, it throws the team back
for several years ."
"The first match of the round is always very important, it can add
confidence. And we have three games in a row with our main rivals - right
off the bat."
"I expect the match with Wales to be difficult, we will have to outplay
disciplined and dedicated opponents. But we must win Wales at home."
"I like it in Rubin, though let us not speak about its being champion,
as we are to play so many games yet."
"The main opponent is the team that is next to us in the rankings,
now it is Dynamo Moscow."
"We are not thinking about the Champions League yet, that won't happen
till the final results of the Russian championship."
"My dreams in the national team are to get as many points as possible
in the forthcoming qualifying matches this year, and in the club - to
finish the championship the way we are playing in it now."
"I am not thinking about the future, and in football each match can
become the last for you, injures or something. Of course the World championship
2010 can be a good end of the career but at the moment I am eager to go
on playing."
Sport
Express Daily, 10 Sep 2008
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