An interview with Felipe Santos, the midfielder for Araz-Nakhchivan, on Futbolxeber.az.
- You lost 0:1 to Zira in the first official match of the year. How would you explain this defeat?
- It was a tough game. We conceded an early goal. I think we played well, but unfortunately, we couldn’t score despite having some chances. Now, we need to forget this match and focus on the upcoming games.
- You mentioned that you played well, but you didn’t create a single clear scoring opportunity in the 90 minutes against Zira.
- No, we had 2-3 chances in the first half. Zira didn’t have many opportunities either. They mainly played defensively. After the 75th minute, we really pushed forward and put pressure on their goal. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the result we wanted. In the end, we left the field without a point.
- Until three rounds ago, the gap between you and the leader was very small. Some even predicted that Araz-Nakhchivan might compete for the championship with Qarabag. Could this have led to overconfidence among some players?
- I don’t think so. There’s no talk of overconfidence. Yes, we’ve lost the last three matches, but no team can maintain a 100% performance all the time. We still have chances.
- Won’t three consecutive defeats create psychological pressure on the team?
- Losing is never pleasant. Accepting defeat is difficult. However, we have professional players on the team, so I believe we’ll change the situation soon.
- In the first half, there was an argument between you and Zira captain Gismat Aliyev. What were you disagreeing about?
- It wasn’t a serious issue. Things like this happen during the game. He doesn’t like me because I’ve scored against Zira in the past.
- You will face Neftchi in the next round. What are your expectations for that match?
- Another tough game awaits us. I think we’re in better form than Neftchi right now. We’ll prepare seriously for that match and treat it like a final.
Idman.biz
