Lokomotiv Took Only Nine Players to Moscow

Despite the extreme weather conditions in Moscow BC Lokomotiv today has landed in the Vnukovo airport. Only nine basketball players came for the game with local CSKA. The Rostov team checked to the Soyuz hotel and then came to the USC CSKA for the practice in the Army team bus.

At the moment the head coach of the team Rimas Girskis has only nine players: guards Alexander Gutorov, Dusan Djordjevic, Eugeny Voronov, Eugeny Kurilov, center Dmitry Sokolov, forwards Andrey Babichev, Igor Grachev, Andrey Cipachev and Konstantin Nesterov.

The leader of Lokomotiv Igor Kudelin couldn’t come to Moscow. He had an operation on tonsils today.


Before the practice Girskis answered several questions of our site.

What are your tasks for this season?

- It’s strange, but be haven’t tasks yet. We are new team with a lot of problems. We haven’t final roster yet. I hope that after games vs. CSKA and Dynamo, the situation with roster and money will become finally clear.

Is it difficult to play the first game against the favorite of championship?

- CSKA is the super club of the high European level. It’s difficult and interesting to play with such team. This game will be wonderful training for my team. Certainly, players are worrying, it’s normal. But we aren’t afraid of them. I’m working with Lokomotiv not enough time. I came to Rostov only after the European championship.


Former CSKA player Alexander Gutorov agreed to answer several questions.

Is it difficult for you to play against you former team?

- It’s a great difference between that club which I player for and nowadays. Only Sergey Panov stayed in the CSKA from that time. New CEO and new coach came to the team. The Army team has very strong squad now. All has changed.

What tasks has Lokomotiv for this season?

- To do our best. Now CSKA is objectively stronger of course. We understand it. CSKA – is a very eminent club. All teams want to win, but very few can do it. We have to add several players. I think that we need foreigners. May be it would happen at the end of this month.