Nikolic: We fought until the last second
Lokomotiv head coach Marko Nikolic commented on the match against Bayern (0:2) in the Gameweek 6 of the Champions League group stage.
- We must congratulate Bayern on the victory. We finished the Champions League group stage. The first four rounds were good, but the last ten days were unsuccessful. We have only 13 players left, but the team fought until the last second. In the first half, we showed a quality game, created chances and could have scored. It is obvious that in the second half we were tired. The bench is too short. We left our last energy on the pitch. We lost a lot of players in the last ten days, if I start listing them all, it will take 15 minutes. Now we need to think about the next matches. Ahead we have Krasnodar and Khimki. We need to prepare.
- Could you assess this Champions League campaign as a whole.
- Before the start of the Champions League, no one gave us a single chance. The Champions League was divided into two parts for us. In the first four rounds we performed well. We drew twice with Atletico, there was a good match at home with Bayern, away with Salzburg. But in the last two matches, everything has changed. There were big problems with the squad. The situation changed every minute. We had to cope with this: changing the lineup, the choice of players, the formation - and all at the last moment. But today we can be happy with ourselves. We showed ourselves as a team, showed character, although we have only 13 players left.
- What was missing for a win in this Champions League? Don't you think three points is a failure?
- I answered this question. If you look at all the matches in general, we had a chance to win. The first four matches were good, but before the last two games everything changed. I don't think three points is a failure.
- You played with the same formation again. At the same time, Rybchinskiy and Ignatiev started not on their positions.
- We worked hard, analyzed the theory. The situation changed almost every minute. Today, many did not play in their positions. I liked how everyone worked.
- Iosifov and Silyanov came on the pitch. Are you satisfied with the progress of the young players?
- Absolutely. But we don’t only have Iosifov and Silyanov. There is Mukhin, Kulikov, Magkeev, Rybchinskiy. Lisakovich and Murilo are also young players. Zhivoglyadov was called up to the Russian national team. The young players are developing. I am sure that this is the future of Lokomotiv.
