Sport24.az
Interview of Zira's goalkeeper Thiago Silva to Sport24.az
- You lost to Qarabag (1:3) in the 24th round of the Misli Premier League. What are your thoughts on the game?
- I don't usually like to talk about these kinds of topics. And by saying this, I don't want to overshadow Qarabag's victory. The opponent performed very well. But I can't say the same about the referees. I think they could have awarded a penalty to Qarabag in the first half. Also, the referee made different decisions for some reason on minor fouls.
- Do you think the defeat can only be attributed to this?
- No. We had a change in our game plan in this match. We were playing a little further back, in a defensive plan. We were able to stop Qarabag's attacks in certain parts of the game. But unfortunately, the opponent took advantage of goal opportunities. Overall, Qarabag played well. They deserved the win.
- After Zira scored, they could not immediately prevent the opponent's third goal. Why was that?
- We had some tactical moves related to the defensive plan. There was a slight change in our overall game plan. After the 60th minute, there were some changes related to our attacking players. We released new attacking players onto the field. After 0:2, there was a relative revival in our game in terms of game construction. We made up for one of the goals. It's just that after being pushed forward a bit, when you are more effective in attack against Qarabag, you already give some gaps in defense... We all know the individual qualities of Qarabag's players. They didn't take long to make it 3:1 because of that. It was a well-deserved victory for them.
- The season is coming to an end. How do you assess your chances for European Cups?
- We can compete in the European Cups. I think that in the current situation, our focus will be on reducing the point difference with Turan Tovuz. I think we can qualify for the European Cups.
- On the way to the championship, do you see Sabah or Qarabag as more likely?
- I'm not interested in that.
