"I'm mentally recovering from the cup defeat, but it's still a bit disappointing"

A friendly match between the national teams of Belarus and Russia will be held in Minsk on Tuesday. He will be the second for our team in June. Earlier, on Friday, Valery Karpin's team played a 1-1 draw with Nigeria in Moscow. On the bench, this meeting was held by Rostov midfielder Kirill Shchetinin, who is highly likely to take the field in the game against Belarus.

Earlier, he and his club reached the superfinal of the Russian Cup, where on June 1, only lost the trophy to CSKA Moscow in a penalty shootout (3:4) after a goalless draw in regular time. In an interview with Izvestia, Shchetinin appreciated the last match of the Russian national team, shared his expectations from a visit to Belarus, commented on rumors about the imminent departure of most of the Rostov team and his transfer to his native Lokomotiv, in whose system his younger brother Mikhail, who spent last season on loan at Voronezh Fakel, is located.

— How did the match with Nigeria look from the outside? What did Russia lack to win?

— Nigeria is a good opponent. I think most of all we lacked implementation. As it was, we played well. And the opponent too. Both teams were allowed to play football, they did not close. That's why it turned out to be a good game.

— Can Nigeria be called the strongest opponent of the Russian national team in recent times?

— Except Serbia, yes. Nigeria is a very strong team, which is not surprising, as there are many good players from European clubs playing for it.

— What do you expect from the upcoming match with Belarus?

— It will also be a good and interesting match. I hope we will show high-quality football. The opponent is not an easy one, especially since we will be playing at their stadium. I hope I'll be on the field, but it all depends on the coaching staff — I respect any decision they make. But in any case, I want to play, especially since a year ago I made my debut for the national team in Minsk in a match against Belarus. It turned out well then — we won 4-0.

— It has been more than three months since Valery Karpin left Rostov. Has he changed since then, becoming the relieved head coach?

— In terms of coaching, no, I haven't changed. It's the same thing — he puts attacking football and aggressive play under pressure. So there is no change here.

— And in human terms? Maybe you've become more rested after the long trips to away matches from Rostov-on-Don and back stopped?

"Maybe." I even think that yes, of course, Georgich had a rest. As it is, in principle, he is always in a good mood — he can make a joke somewhere, tease. In this sense, nothing has changed for him.

African time: who came to Moscow to play against the Russian national team

For the first time in recent history, the national team will play a friendly match against Nigeria.

— Have you mentally recovered from the defeat of Rostov in the superfinal of the Russian Cup?

— Yes, I moved away a little. But it's still a bit insulting, so to speak.

— Do you have a feeling that you did something wrong in the match against CSKA? Or can a penalty shootout defeat always be attributed to bad luck?

— Yes, it was possible, in principle, to come up with something. Yes, penalty shootouts are a lottery. But in general, we had an equal game with CSKA. And during regular time, it was possible to play better offensively, to do something to score and win.

— Since May, there have been constant rumors that the Russian Cup superfinal against CSKA is the last match for Rostov in its current form. That the club's management, coaching staff and most of the players will leave soon. Is there anything you can say about this?

— 50% of what is written about this is not true.

— It turns out that the remaining 50% is true?

— Partially, so to speak. That half the team will leave is nonsense. It seems to me that if the players leave, it's definitely not half the team.

— Can you say anything about your future? Which club will you be preparing for next season?

— Everyone is writing on the Internet, but the agent hasn't told me anything yet.

— Even about the "Locomotive", which is most often mentioned in terms of interest in you?

Non-club business: how the national team started preparing for the match with Nigeria

Valery Karpin refused to confirm the rumors about the transfer to Dynamo

— Well, this is again a talk about interest, but there are no specifics.

— Even your brother Mikhail didn't say anything about Loko's interest?

"Michael?" So he himself only returned from Fakel to Lokomotiv after the lease. What will he say?

"He'll be right back, find out something, and tell me."

— Well, when he comes back, we'll talk. (He smiles.)

— By the way, do you have a desire to be on the same team with him? Otherwise, you didn't go out on the field against each other.

— Yes, even when our teams were playing against each other, one stayed on the bench all the time when the other started. And then one came on as a substitute when the other was taken off the game. (Laughs.) Not fate yet. To be honest, I don't know when we'll cross paths. It is unclear whether Misha will stay at Lokomotiv next season or go on loan again. We haven't really talked yet after the end of the championship and the Cup of Russia.: He was called up to the youth national team, and I was called up to the national team. As soon as I get back from Minsk, we'll meet and talk. Then, perhaps, something will be clear about our future.