Before the start of the team in the Champions League the captain of the Football Club Astana Nenad Eric shared the tasks that the club sets for itself in the tournament, in an exclusive interview with the correspondent of Sputnik Kazakhstan.

- Nenad, please comment on your first opponent of FC Astana in the Champions League?

- Dynamo Brest is a very serious opponent. Despite the fact that they do not have much European Competitions experience, they should never be underestimated. They are the reigning Belarusian Champions, one of the strongest clubs in recent years. Plus, they have an advantage in playing tone, since they have a championship in full swing, and we haven’t been playing in official matches since March. However, we will try to neutralize their strengths and please our fans with a victory in such a difficult time.

- What are the chances of success, considering that you have not been playing official matches for almost five months?

- There are always chances. Despite the absence of official matches, we will try to show the kind of football that can bring results.

- How hard is it for a football player in a situation with a pandemic? Surely, this is your first time when you have been five months without official matches?

- Of course, it’s very difficult. Nevertheless, the whole world found itself in a similar situation, just for someone the quarantine ended earlier, and for the other it continues. It’s hard not even physically, but more mentally, since no training can replace official matches, and everyone has already missing the matches.

- The question is for you, as to the captain: what are the moods in the team? How hard is it for foreign players who have been without their families for a long time and there is no way to fly home?

- The club gave us the opportunity to fly to families during the respite of quarantine. It was very important for us, because together with the training camp, we did not see our loved ones for almost six months – it’s hard. Hopefully, things will get better soon and we all can be reunited with our families.

- How did you take the team’s move to Almaty? How comfortable are training sessions for you in the new place?

- Unfortunately, in Nur-Sultan we had problems with training sessions, as Astana Arena is still closed for repairs. Therefore, the management of the club decided to temporarily move to Almaty, so that the team would have a continuous training process. This is very important, because we have important matches in the Champions League soon, and of course, the restart of the Kazakhstan Championship, where we also have very high goals.

- How is working with the new Head Coach Michal Bilek?

- Each coach has his own vision of the training process and the construction of the game. We saw Bilek working in the National Team of Kazakhstan, so the adaptation went pretty quickly.

- What is your relationship with Dmytro Nepohodov? Did you worry when he joined the team? It looked like that he could become number one, considering that he is the main goalkeeper in the National Team?

- Competition always benefits any football player. Dmytro is a very strong goalkeeper, but in FC Astana there has always been competition. My task is to work every day in training sessions, and then whoever is stronger will play.

- You have said more than once that you want to end your career in FC Astana. Would you stay to live in Kazakhstan?

- Of course, I have already repeated more than once that I want to end my career in FC Astana, because this club has done a lot for me, has become a second home. However, at the moment I feel in myself the moral and physical strength to still play yet. I feel that I can be useful to the team, and how much more I will play – time will tell, but I still have strength. As for Kazakhstan, I feel very comfortable here, but I’m not yet ready to say exactly where I will stay after my career.

- This year, it seems more difficult than ever to keep the championship title. What are the goals of the team for European Competitions and the domestic championship?

- Indeed, due to the long pause due to quarantine, this year’s championship will be shorter than the previous ones, and this reduces the margin for error. Nevertheless, in any case, the club has been set only the maximum tasks – the championship and qualification to the group of one of the European Competitions.

- And, finally, our traditional flash interview. Who was your childhood idol? And who of the goalkeepers was an example for you?

- I cannot say that I had any idols. I just liked the play of some of the goalkeepers. Among them were Francesco Toldo and Gianluigi Buffon.

- What are your five favourite films?

- “Gladiator”, “The Bourne Identity”, “Man on Fire”, “Ocean’s Eleven” and “The Transporter”.

- Thank you for the interview!