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— I’ve been at Spartak school actually since the very start, I entered it in a year after 1996 team establishment. Prior to that I was engaged in Spartak-2 with guys one year older than me. 

— When did you first lead out the team on the field with captain’s armband?

— Around two years after I started playing here.

— Your team has repeatedly achieved success both in domestic and international competitions. What tournament has left the brightest impressions?

— Stefano Gusella Torneo, where we won in 2011 spring. This is the prestigious international tournament, where we fought for the victory with extremely strong opponents, we demonstrated sound football and thanks to it we became the best. Basically that season was successful for us: we took the third place in the tournament in France, and we celebrated the victory in Morozov’s memorial tournament in St Petersburg, that was also attended by the strongest European teams.  

— Last season Spartak-96 won the Winter Championship, but failed to be among medalists of Russia Championship and Moscow Championship. What is the cause? 

— We performed greatly in terms of playing in Russia Championship, but it happened that by letting in a single goal only in the match against Dynamo Moscow we took only the fifth place. That happens sometimes. When everything started to turn around, too many points had been lost already, and it was impossible to outplay the opponents.   

— How do you assess your team performance in 2013 Moscow Winter Championship?

— In my view, we had regained confidence, in the tournament we played not perfectly, but good. It’s a pity that in the last match we failed to get silverware.   

— You commenced the season with a new tutor: Vladimir Dzjubanov headed the team. Have you got accustomed to the new coach quickly?

— I’ve got acquainted with Vladimir Vyacheslavovich sometime later after he took the team, as I was in the disposition of the junior national team. He is a good coach and a good person, we have found the common language, now everybody does understand what Dzhubanov wants from us, and in the tournament we’ll try to bring his aspirations to life.    

— This winter you were included in Spartak junior team entry form. How have you perceived that? 

— Not only me, but many guys from our team have been included as well. I’ve perceived this gladly, because I link my future with Spartak, I set a goal to prove with my play that I deserve to play as a substitute. This is advance confidence that needs to be justified in each match.  

— There are only a few days left until Spartak Cup international tournament. Please, tell us about team’s state of mind.  

— All guys’ state of mind is for struggle, for play and for victory. I’m sure that we are capable for gunning for the title. The essential thing is not to be afraid and to take part in each match with a proper state of mind.   

— What play do you expect from your tournament opponents?

— Barcelona Academy students have their own core team as the bright example. Surely their playing style counts on team’s ball possession and individual technique of each footballer. The Portuguese also have high technical skills, but they are very emotional. When I played for the national team in some matches we faced some provocative acts from Portuguese footballers. Hopefully, there will be no such situations in this tournament. Dynamo Kiev team that we met a year ago is well-organized and disciplined, it persistently keeps it tight at the back; this team has individually very strong players. English teams are staffed with footballers with top physical condition, and I expect fluid attacking football from them. Supposedly, footballers of Scottish Celtic will demonstrate playing style similar to that of their English peers.        

— Last week you participated within Russia junior national team in 2013 European Championship qualifying round and succeeded to get into the final. How do you feel yourself? Do you still have any forces for Spartak Cup?   

— We had two days of rest, and we managed to acquire new strength. For the time present it’s not very comfortable to train on the artificial cover after the games on the natural field, but we’ve got a week to adapt. We’ve got strength and emotions as well.

—Have you observed games of the last tournament?

— Definitely! We’ve been especially impressed by atmosphere in Spartak versus Barcelona match: so many fans attended the game! Hopefully, they will come to support us as well, because if grandstands are full, players gain higher confidence and try to demonstrate their maximum. 

— Most certainly all fans have seen your masterpiece goal to England national junior team’s gates. Have you scored such goals for Spartak?

— I kicked the similar goal to Alania’s gates within Spartak-95 team in Russia Championship in Krymsk last year. Such goals do happen, though not often. However for me it’s much more important not to score a goal myself, but to do my best to enable a team to score a goal.