Andrey Vorontsevich: "We played against a serious opponent"

Blue-White-Sky Blues forward Andrey Vorontsevich spoke about how he feels after the win over MBA-MAI (84:74), how difficult it is to play with a packed schedule, and also shared his thoughts on today’s match-day show program dedicated to the upcoming Maslenitsa celebrations. More details in an interview for Zenit TV.

— Andrey, that’s the fourth win in a row. How’s your mood?

— The mood is fantastic. Winning is always great, especially when you’re playing at home. Today our fans had amazing headwear, and that gave us extra excitement and energy. I wish our supporters would wear costumes more often. Today there were traditional musical instruments playing, like the balalaika. Overall, the atmosphere was wonderful. It’s great that we won against a serious opponent. By the way, MBA played very well too. Of course, it’s not easy to play against such a team, but nevertheless Zenit won. We did everything we wanted to do.

— The game from the very first minutes was built around defense: a lot of physical play, fouls, stoppages. How hard is it to find your rhythm in a match like that?

— When MBA’s aggressive defense doesn’t allow you to do much of what you want, naturally you understand that you also have to defend aggressively. That’s basically where it all started. When we took a 15-point lead, the outcome of the game was decided. But MBA are definitely a tough opponent that fights until the final seconds, so you have to give them credit. We always treat them with respect.

— In the previous three games we scored over 100 points. Today the game was less high-scoring. Was it because MBA-MAI defended well, or because we missed our shots?

— Yes, MBA defended very well, no doubt about it. But I think this is the kind of opponent that doesn’t allow you to make many assists. The previous game, in my opinion, can’t be compared to today’s one in terms of the number of assists. Our team has many good shooters. I think if we had shot more often… We’re a bit dependent on ball movement. We need to drive to the basket more, attack the lane, and kick the ball out to the perimeter so there are more shot opportunities. But a win is a win. Games can be different — different styles, different flavors, so to speak. I’ll repeat myself: we played against a serious opponent that fights hard and doesn’t let you do simple things.

— This was the fourth game in two weeks. Has some fatigue already built up, even though you’re playing at home?

— First of all, everyone is in this schedule — not just us, but our opponents as well. Of course, you have to adapt to it and manage things properly. The coaching staff understands this, and so does the medical staff. We do everything necessary for recovery: recovery workouts, various procedures, cold tubs, magnets for those who need them. So everything is in working order — this is our job, our work, our livelihood. We know what needs to be done, and despite the fatigue, we have to go out there and fight at 100%.

— You mentioned that you really liked today’s match-day show program, which was dedicated to Maslenitsa week. If you were a fan, what kind of theme would you like Zenit to organize a show around?

— I’ve always liked our traditional Russian style. It doesn’t really matter whether it’s kokoshniks or Maslenitsa week. I always enjoy something that’s our own, familiar, heartfelt. It’s some kind of deep, inner feeling. At the same time, you can also do something Western-style. Saint Petersburg is, of course, the cultural capital of our country — people here always come up with ideas and have great imagination. I hope next time it’ll be just as good. So come to the games. We always approach our fans creatively. Come more often and leave comments about what kind of themed entertainment you’d like to see for the supporters. I’m completely in favor of that.

— One of today’s fan activations was sack racing. Who do you think would be faster in that competition: Trent or Levi?

— Trent, for sure — he’s much faster. Levi is heavier; that’s why he’s called a forward, after all. Trent is lighter and more mobile. Since it’s a speed competition, I think Trent would take the win.