"I'm sure we can stay in the RPL"

In mid-March, Dynamo Makhachkala goalkeeper Timur Magomedov made his RPL debut. He fully played the home match against Samara Krylia Sovetov, in which his team won a major victory (4:0). And last weekend, the 23-year-old goalkeeper played a good away match against CSKA Moscow, although the Dagestani club lost 0:2. Earlier, Magomedov played several matches in the Russian Cup, and now he has ousted one of the leaders of Dynamo, David Volk, who was called up to the Russian national team in the fall.

In an interview with Izvestia, Timur Magomedov shared his impressions of his RPL debut, assessed the chances of repeating the Wolf's path to the national team, and commented on the results of Dynamo, which is in 12th place in its debut season in the Premier League.

— What prevented us from achieving at least a draw in the match against CSKA?

— We didn't manage to create many dangerous chances at the gates of CSKA. That's the point. And it was a bit disappointing that we missed — from rebounds, from standards. We will work on it.

— Although you have played a lot in the Russian Cup matches this season, you made your RPL debut in the championship only on March 15. What kind of emotions did you feel?

— I'm calm about all this. This is my job, this is my life. There is no excitement, nothing like that. I just live by football. And I'm calm about everything.

— Even when you made your RPL debut in the match against Krylia?

— No, there was nothing like that. You realize that you go out on the field, play, enjoy football, and generally do what you love. So no worries.

— Were you ready for such a chance in the RPL, considering that for a season and a half David Volk seemed like an iron core goalkeeper?

— Of course, I was ready. You always have to be ready in football. Especially the goalkeeper. Goalkeeping is very difficult because there is only one player, and a team can have three or four goalkeepers. But David and I have a good working relationship, and we have healthy competition.

— In the fall, Volk was called up to the Russian national team. Do you expect to follow his path?

— If we consistently win and get points in every match of the championship, then anything is possible. And then, in any case, the coaching staff of the Russian national team will decide. I can't just come to them and say, "Take me!"

— How do you assess the chances of Dynamo Makhachkala to stay in the RPL?

— We can do anything. We will succeed. Of course, we have to fight in every match, there are still many matches ahead, and the task has not been solved. But I'm sure we can stay in the RPL.

— Why is your team, which has not changed much in terms of composition compared to the first league, now moving to the RPL outside the relegation zone and even outside the transition zone?

— You can see that our table is tight. Everyone can beat everyone. We work very hard in training and in games. It may not be noticeable from the outside, but everyone in our team is fully committed to their work. That's why we're where we are. And we can go up again. We understand that we need to go out and fight on every meter of the field.

— The head coach of your team, Hasanbi Bijiyev, was a goalkeeper himself, played for Lokomotiv. Is he involved in working with you and the Wolf, or is it just a goalie coach?

— Of course, Hasanbi Eduardovich often tells us how best to act. We are listening to him. Given his goalkeeping experience, we always take his advice seriously.

— The legendary coach Haji Hajiyev is the president of Dynamo Makhachkala. Many believe that he is also involved in the training process under Bijiyev. What can you tell from the inside?

— Haji Muslimovich comes to our every training session and watches it. But he does not interfere in the training process, in coaching. He just looks like the president of the club. Yes, it can prompt you, share your experience. And we all listen to him, because this man worked in the national team, won the Olympic Games. And we take a lot from him.