‘There’s no point in flying to play matches abroad’ – Lukich on lack of fights with national teams during February training camp

Head coach of the Russian national team Zoran Lukic in an interview with , he said that it made no sense to play friendly matches against other national teams during the February training camp.

National team training began on February 17 and 23 Russian team will play a friendly match with Samara in Moscow.

— The national team will have a friendly match with Samara, are you satisfied with the opponent for sparring?

— Of course, I am very grateful to Samara for the fact that the club very quickly agreed to a friendly match. There were other options, but at this stage there is no point in flying somewhere or playing matches abroad. There will be a break in June and I am absolutely sure we will get on a flight somewhere and meet. Now, at the training camp, we begin to prepare for the “Friendship Games”.

— Do you communicate with Andrei Kirilenko about the prospects of the national team, its potential rivals?

— Of course, we communicate and have working breakfasts. Many questions were addressed, notably those of personalities. As for the Friendship Games, it is not us or the federation who decides, but people at the highest level. So whatever opponent we face, we will do our best in every match,” Lukic said in an interview with .