CSKA Vice President Natalia Furaeva, in an interview with Match TV, shared her expectations for the VTB United League playoff semifinal against Lokomotiv-Kuban. She noted that despite CSKA winning all their encounters this season, each game against the Krasnodar side was extremely challenging.
The best-of-seven semifinal series between CSKA and Lokomotiv-Kuban is set to begin in Moscow on May 12.
“Just like three years ago, Lokomotiv is our semifinal opponent. Are there any special revenge sentiments after losing that seven-game series?”
“We are definitely not focused on revenge. We approach every game aiming to win. Since then, CSKA has won two championship titles, has a different head coach, and the roster has changed. It’s unlikely the current staff will use that historical fact for extra motivation.”
“Can it be said that the current Lokomotiv is significantly weaker than three years ago?”
“We can only say that the Lokomotiv roster has changed substantially. It’s quite difficult to compare such different teams — Anton Kvitkovskikh and Zakhar Vedishchev now play for Krasnodar. I’d like to remind that back then, Lokomotiv finished the regular season in fifth place, while now they’re fourth. And even though we won all six matches against them this season, some of those were incredibly difficult.”
“CSKA has a week and a half to prepare for the semifinal. Is that an advantage? Or does it make the team lose focus before crucial games?”
“Of course, game rhythm can be lost over such a period. But Lokomotiv also reached the semifinal just one day after us, so the difference is minimal. Our coaching staff knows how to use training time effectively, and I am confident preparation will be at the highest level,” Furaeva told Match TV.