Translated material
Hector Bracamonte: Fans should thank Petrakov
— Ector, I’ve never seen such heads performed by you before.
- And I have never scored such goals either in Russia or in Argentina. I didn't want to humiliate anyone, it just happened that way. I saw Vidic fall over and moved on, and when he dribbled past the second player, I thought why not beat the third one too. And all that was left was to send the ball into the goal. A lot of credit goes to Kirichenko for this goal. He diverted the attention of the defenders. But by and large, I don’t care how to score - with a heel, a forehead, after a solo pass or a long-range shot - the important moment is when the ball crosses the goal line.
- By the way, about Kirichenko. Is it hard to fight for the title of top scorer in the championship when one of your main competitors plays on your team?
- I don’t necessarily have a goal to become the top scorer. My task for each match is to reach the next game in the starting lineup. If I score, I'll be closer to my goal. But if I give a few assists and do everything for my team to win, I will also solve my problem. Kirichenko is a super forward. I know that he is ahead in the scoring race, and if there is an opportunity, I will always give him a pass. But if I see that I can shoot myself, then I will not spoil the situation by making an extra pass.
- On the eve of the match, the head coach was changed in Moscow. Did this affect the outcome of the game?
- Too little time has passed to feel the difference. Our job is to listen and follow the coach’s instructions. In this match we accomplished almost everything.
— There were rumors that you and your former mentor Valery Petrakov did not have a very good relationship.
-- This is wrong. Maybe the coach sometimes had complaints about certain games, but these are work issues. We had no problems in personal relationships. We got along great when he came, and when he left, everything remained that way. Moreover, he often put me in the lineup even when I did not show the game that the coach expected. We had complete trust. And probably the fans should thank Petrakov for doing a great job with the team.
— In the match with Spartak there was a kind of Argentine derby. You are on one side, Rodriguez and Cavenaghi are on the other. You have won a landslide victory.
-- The quality of the game is not determined by the number of Argentines in the team. This is not about me or Cavenaghi and Rodriguez. This has to do with any of the eleven players on our team. Everyone fought to the end for themselves and for the club, and that’s why we won. Spartak is a strong team, but today was probably not their day. For the second time in a row they are forced to play at two o'clock in the afternoon, and this is difficult. And we played very well and deserved this victory.
-- Cavenaghi's problems in Russia are well known. In your opinion, why can’t he make a loud statement about himself?
- Fernando is a great forward. I know what I'm saying - I saw him score in Argentina. Of course, he needs time to get used to Russia. He's already starting to succeed. Remember, it was hard for me too when I first arrived, but then everything got better. Fernando will also succeed. Don't expect him to break and don't think he's too weak for this championship.
—You have an interesting hobby—you play the guitar and sing. Have many songs already been written in Russia?
- Oh, not a single one. I don't write songs at all now. I left this for later, when I finish my football career. Then maybe I’ll record a couple of albums. And now the main thing is football.