Midfielder “Zenith » Alexander Erokhine in a conversation with , he said that a friendly match with “Red Star “Proved once again how close the people of Russia and Serbia are and also showed how football can unite in difficult times.
The meeting took place on Saturday in Belgrade and ended with the defeat of the Russian club with a score of 0:1. Before the start of the match, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall concert hall in Krasnogorsk. Additionally, fans hung a banner with the words “Moscow, 03.22. We cry.”
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On Friday evening, unknown assailants opened fire on the Crocus town hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, where a concert by the band Picnic was to take place. According to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, 137 people died as a result of the attack. The Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee has opened criminal proceedings regarding the terrorist attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared March 24 a day of national mourning.
— Naturally, even though we were in Belgrade, it was impossible to stay away from the events in Moscow. First of all, we would like to once again express our condolences and words of support to those whose loved ones suffered in this tragedy.
— What can you say about the atmosphere at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade?
— The support from the stands was very strong. The Russian and Serbian flags together, the locals and our fans as a whole. It was both visible and audible. In general, the game took place in an atmosphere of friendship, unity and memory of the victims. Thank you very much to the Red Star fans for such a welcome.
— After the match, Zenit and Red Star went to thank not only their sectors, but also the sectors of the opposing team.
– Also an indicative moment. We sincerely thanked all the supporters and the entire stadium, the Red Star supporters. In general, we were once again convinced of the brotherhood of our peoples and everything that happened at the stadium was very inspiring.
— Before the match, Zenit visited the Church of St. Sava, where you were greeted with a live performance of Russian and Serbian anthems.
“I felt supported throughout this journey. That says a lot. Our people are one thing. This has always been the case and I hope it will be the case in the future.
— If we talk about the game, your goal during the match was not counted.
“As those who saw that moment in slow motion later told me, there was a purpose. But since the judge didn’t count, it’s his decision. In two or three minutes we hit the crossbar and the bar. Of course, we could have taken the lead, but it didn’t work.
— What can you say about the quality of football?
— As Sergei Bogdanovich (Semak) said, we sometimes played well and developed attacks. On the other hand, the end of the first half did not go satisfactorily in terms of pressure and selection. Overall, we controlled the ball well. There were opportunities, but they didn’t materialize.
— The team returned home. Will it take you time to come to your senses?
— Humanly, we are very worried about this situation. But football and sport in general have a unifying character and a driving force towards unity. Thanks to them, people can also unite. We must help each other together,” Erokhin told .
On March 30, Sergei Semak’s team will face Krylia Sovetov Samara in the 22nd round of the Russian Championship.
Source : MatchTV
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