SAŠA GADNIK: "IN THE BALKANS EVERYONE IS BORN WITH A BALL"

In a few hours, the final of the European Championship will begin in Paris, the composition of which no one could predict: Slovenia vs. Serbia. In Surgut, there is increased attention to this match - our great friend Petar Krsmanovich plays in the Serbian national team, and another great friend, Slovene Sasha Gadnik, who played for Gazprom-Ugra, watched from the podium the game of his team with Russia and Poland. We did not contact Petar before the match for obvious reasons., but Sasha got a call. is he, by the way, retired from playing two years ago and now works as a second coach in the women's team "Nova-KBM-Branik" from Maribor, champion of Slovenia for the last three years.

– Sasha, how do you think, who will win today in Paris?

– who has not played in recent matches due to injury. We have a real Balkan derby! Serbian coach Kovac knows our team very well, he trained her. We also know the Serbs by heart. I'll say this: if we play the same, How did you play against Russia?, we can win today.

– But you won't have your hall factor!

– Yes, support 11 thousands of fans in Ljubljana - it was a huge plus for our team. But I will tell you, that eight thousand of our fans went to Paris is also a powerful support.

– Due to what, In your opinion, Slovenian team reached the final?

– We have a great generation of players, probably, the best ever. And they've been on the court together for years. Teamwork sometimes at an intuitive level. A plus, of course, as I already said, home court factor with incredible fan support.

– you said, that you need to play in the final like this, like in the quarterfinals with Russia. And you played worse against Poland in the semi-final?

– By the quality of the game - yes! But then the Poles themselves could not withstand the pressure. Very bad match, in my opinion, spent their binder Jizga. Poles mentally were already in the final, they talked about it directly before the game - and their coach, and players. Ours, naturally, didn't like it very much (laughs - ed.), and we beat them.

– Tell, what is Slovenian volleyball today? How it develops? Is there anyone behind this unique generation?

– Yes! We have good youth. There are two or three players 16-18 years old, who are already training with the national team - they will reach a good level in a year or two. At all, our championship is small, he is for it, so that local young players can express themselves. And then Italy, Poland, Turkey.

– Tell, how a country with a population of two million performs well in football, and in basketball, and in volleyball, and in handball?

– To be honest, I don't know! (laughs - ed.). Well, in the Balkans everyone is born with a ball. And in Serbia, and in Croatia, and in Slovenia. On the streets, where you don't look, everyone plays football, basketball, volleyball… Great involvement, interest in the game - it brings results.

– Thanks for the interesting conversation.! Don't even know, who to root for in the final...

– About us! It won't be so embarrassing, if Russia lost to future champions.