Sergey Karasev: "We hear, see and feel the support of our fans"
Blue-White-Sky Blues forward Sergey Karasev summed up the 2024/25 season. In an interview with Zenit TV, he spoke about his role as captain, the atmosphere within the team and recovering from injury.
— Sergey, the tough season has come to an end. You missed the final games due to injury. How are you feeling now?
— My ankle still hurts a bit, but I think I’ll recover over the summer and be fully ready for the next season.
— This was your first season as captain. Do you think you handled the role well?
— It’s clear that you have to adapt to everything, and there were probably some difficulties I had to face. It’s hard for me to say whether I did a good job or not — that’s probably something the guys and the coach should answer. From my side, I gave it everything I had. I tried to bring the team together, unite everyone. Yes, there were problems, but overall the atmosphere was very positive throughout the season, and we had a great chance to win the championship. We fell just a bit short, and I hope that next year we’ll take that small step forward.
— Speaking of the team atmosphere — did it change compared to last season?
— Overall, it was very positive — in the locker room, during games, and in training. Sure, every team has its disagreements now and then, but in general it was a good season, and I’ll remember it fondly, even though we didn’t become champions.
— Have you already decided how you'll spend the summer and the off-season?
— Yes, I’ll be flying to see my family and kids. I haven’t seen them in a while and I’ve really missed them. I’ll spend some time with them, and then I think we’ll head to St. Petersburg, where I’ll focus on recovery and preparing for the next season. I think I’ll spend most of the off-season in St. Petersburg.
— What would you like to say to the St. Petersburg fans who love and support you?
— Honestly, I could say a lot. But I just want to say that our fans are probably the best in Russia. Thank you so much for this season, for your support, for the atmosphere in the stands — it means a lot to us. We hear it, we see it, and we feel it. I hope next year will be even better, even louder, and full of even more victories.