Former defender of the Russian national team Vladimir Granat told Metaratings.ru that the striker Fedor Smolov in the quarter-finals against Croatia at the 2018 World Cup.
Smolov took the first spot kick for the Russians in the penalty shootout, but his spot kick was stopped by the opposing keeper. The match ended in victory for the Croats (2:2, from penalty 4:3).
– The quarter-final with Croatia was marked by Smolov’s goalless penalty. He himself said in an interview with Nobel Arustamyan that he failed this world championship even before the panenka. You from this team knew Smolov, probably the longest since Dynamo times. What happened to him?
“Maybe there is a small flaw on my part. Both in training camp and in friendlies, it was clear that it was not the same Smolov who had scored against Spain and France a year earlier. I had to somehow steer him in the right direction, talk, maybe stuff him, but it didn’t work. From the first match, we saw that this is not the Fedya we are used to seeing.
– Why didn’t they try to talk to Smolov then? You didn’t want to get inside Fedya’s head?
– It was obvious that Fedya was not in the same emotional state, he did not want to shoot him again.
– Then Smolov and Gabulov struggled in the shower. The emotions were at the limit?
– Yes, then the emotions were at the limit. But if you talk to Gabulov now, he will understand that missed penalties from Smolov and Fernandez are the same result. More because of the performance, such emotions showed up in Fedya’s speech. Hit it above the door, it would be different. It was madness on Smolov’s part, Garnet said.
Metaratings.ru
Source : MatchTV
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