Sergey Karasev: "I feel much better"

Team captain Sergey Karasev shared in an interview with Zenit's press service that he is almost fully recovered from his injury and ready to return to the court in the upcoming match against Astana. The forward also emphasized that it’s best not to focus on the standings before this game.

— How are you feeling? Ahead is the trip to Astana. Fans have been eager to see you back on the court.

— I’m already training with the team. I plan to travel to Astana and play. I feel much better. Yes, there are still some minor pain sensations, but we need to start already.

— Traveling to Astana always feels special. What stands out to you about trips to Kazakhstan? The long flight, the time difference, playing in the morning?

— Yes, those games are always tough in terms of acclimatization. It’s never easy to play there. So we have to go there with full concentration and dedication, first and foremost.

— They have 9 defeats out of 9 matches. Does that make the trip more daunting?

— Not really. We just need to go and play our basketball. We shouldn’t think about the fact that they don’t have any wins yet this season. Teams always bring a different level of intensity when playing against us, CSKA, or UNICS, so we need to go out there and show our game.

— Six out of the next eight games are on the road. Is that challenging psychologically?

— It is challenging, of course. Playing on the road in front of opposing fans is always tough. But we need to approach every game determined to show the basketball we believe in and play with all our heart and soul. All for one, one for all. We’ll be aiming to secure as many road wins as we can.