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ADVOCAAT: I AM ABSOLUTELY CALM
Yesterday before the evening training session on Stadio Olimpico the
head coach of Zenit Dick Advocaat answered the questions of the correspondent
of Sport Express about the today's match Juventus vs. Zenit.
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Photo: english.sport-express.ru
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"The game with Italians will be the first in such a
prestigious tournament as the Champions League for many players but not
for me," said Advocaat.
"I wonder how my guys will show their worth in the match against
Juventus. After the match it will be clear where we are staying."
"Zenit is regarded as an outsider in the group as we have never participated
in the Champions League before and have not played against Juventus, a
very strong club with experienced players. Though we are not supposed
to be favourites I am looking forward with optimism."
"We are not taken as favourites of the match. The Italians play in
the Champions League every year except for the last two years. Just look
how many times they have won gold medals of the A Series of one of the
strongest leagues in Europe. I think that is enough to understand we are
kept as underdogs."
"But for two and a half years we have achieved great results. We
have an absolutely different team comparing to the one that was before
my coming. Almost every our player is on the level of the national teams."
"I don't fear that only two players from Zenit participated in the
Champions League before [Timoschuk and Riksen]. All our footballers have
experience of playing against strong European opponents. Moreover almost
all of them have spent many matches with the national teams. So I am absolutely
calm and sure that my players won't falter in front of Juventus. They
are relaxed and self-confident."
"There are no stars in the Russian football yet, we have good players
but they are not stars yet. And in Juventus there are Buffon, Del Piero,
Nedved."
"For us this tournament is special because it is our debut here.
I think people in St. Petersburg are looking forward to watching the match
as for our supporters this is a very great event."
Sport
Express Daily, 17 Sep 2008
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