"Everyone should always understand that Spartak is a contender for the championship"

Last football season was a breakthrough for Russian midfielder Vladislav Saus. A year ago, he helped Kaliningrad Baltika to get out of the First League in the RPL, where he immediately gained a foothold with his team. Under the leadership of head coach Andrey Talalaev, the club became the main sensation of the championship, joining the fight for medals, and Saus was one of the leaders of the team.

In the winter, he moved to Spartak Moscow, where, due to injury, he was unable to gain a foothold in the main squad, but ended the season with a victory with the red and white in the Russian Cup. In an interview with Izvestia, the 23-year-old football player shared his emotions from success and told what unites Talalaev and Spartak's Spanish coach Carlos Carcedo, and also assessed the chances of competing for victory in the Russian championship next season.

— How did you manage to win the Russian Cup in such a difficult deciding bracket, where Zenit, CSKA and Krasnodar had to win?

— Due to the fact that Spartak has gathered high-quality football players. Everyone is ready to give their all, everyone stands up for each other. Besides, this is a team that should take trophies.

— How did the Superfinal with Krasnodar and especially the penalty shootout look from the outside?

— Of course, everyone was worried. But after the match, they were already exhausted and shouted after the victory so that their head hurts from such emotions (smiles). But it's a pleasant pain.

— How did Ilya Pomazun manage to come on as a substitute in the last minutes of a penalty shootout twice in this Cup — against Zenit and Krasnodar?

— Yes, everyone understood perfectly well that Ilya Pomazun reflects eleven-meter punches well. This was evident both in the game against Zenit and in the training process. Therefore, the coaching staff tried to keep this substitution in mind until the very end. And this substitution played out again.

— Before the start of last season, could you have imagined that it would end with the first big trophy in your career?

— I started the season with another team.… And, to be honest, before the start of the season, I didn't even set myself the goal of winning a trophy. I just wanted to prove myself at a good level in my first season in the RPL. And the fact that in the end it all ended with a trophy with Spartak... I don't think it could be better.

— You haven't spent much time on the field with Spartak yet. What have these six months given you as a player compared to the first half of the season, when Andrei Talalaev constantly put you in the base at Baltika?

— By the way, I would remember Andrey Viktorovich Talalaev with a kind word. I am very grateful to this man, who gave me a lot. The fact that I've just won the Cup is also a big credit to him. But joining Spartak gave me at least the first big trophy of my career. Yes, I want to play more, but I hope next season I will prove that I deserve a permanent place at the base.

— In what ways are Talalaev and Carlos Carcedo similar to each other?

— I can't compare them... everyone works in their own way. I can only say that both are determined to win trophies.

— In the winter, when you joined Spartak from Baltika, were you prepared that you might not have as much playing time as in the first part of the season?

— Of course, there were slightly different expectations. I was just unlucky — I had an injury that caused me to miss about two months. It's a shame that I just joined Spartak, went through training camps, got in shape and got injured two weeks later. But nothing, now the injuries are gradually going away. Let's take a little rest on vacation and start working at the training camp to win a place in the squad by the beginning of the season.

— So you are optimistic about your future prospects at Spartak?

— It is clear that every football player will try to prove his worth and get more playing time. It is ok. I went to Spartak to play. Therefore, all fees will be shown. Whoever is stronger will be on the field.

— What can the team qualify for next season? Is it necessary to set a tough task to fight for the gold of the championship?

— I think so. Every season, everyone should understand that Spartak is a contender for the championship and Cup victory. Especially now we have gone through such a successful path in the Russian Cup. That means we can continue to develop and fight for the championship.

— Is it possible to compete with Krasnodar and Zenit in the long run, which you beat in the Cup on penalties?

— Of course! This was also shown by the championship matches when we played with the leaders.

"We have a good team and coaching staff — we can fight for the championship"

Spartak football player Igor Dmitriev — about the tasks for the next season, the victory in the Cup of Russia and Carlos Carcedo

— Baltika became the main sensation of the past season, but it sank without you in the spring and ended up without medals. Can the Kaliningrad team repeat and improve its current result in the next championship?

— I think so. This is a strong team with a strong coach who does not let the guys down, does not let them relax. I think everyone can have a good season. And Baltika, too. She had a good season and is able to repeat it.

— During the winter, many people thought that Baltika's leaders would be sold out, but in the end, only you left the key players. Was there a chance to keep you?

— First of all, Spartak invited me. Secondly, an official offer came, which satisfied both Baltika, Spartak, and me. Basically, everyone was ready for this transition. As you can see, this is the first trophy of my career, so it definitely wasn't in vain.