Pavlyuchenko admitted that he would like to see Dzyuba in the Russian national team

Former striker of the Russian national team Roman Pavlyuchenko admitted to RB Sport that he would like to see Lokomotiv forward Artem Dzyuba in the national team.

Dzyuba was not called up to the Russian national team for the March training camp, which will include friendly matches with the teams of Iran and Iraq.

– Do the national team need matches with such rivals as Iran and Iraq?

– Of course, we need it, but we must understand that we have a Russian national football team. Footballers, on the other hand, should strive to get into the national team, so the team must exist and must play. Let it not Italy, France, Germany. A friendly game with Iran or Iraq – the national team should be. People in Russia are waiting for the national team, so they talk about it and want to see it. If we lose the national team, where will our players go? There should not be such questions: “It is necessary – it is not necessary.” Of course you do!

– Does the national team need Dziuba?

– According to what he is now demonstrating, of course, he would be an assistant to the national team. Another question is whether the head coach is needed, who has his own vision for the national team, for the players, he has his own tactics. It is necessary to ask Valery Karpin: “I need it – I don’t need it.” If you ask me, then I would like to see him in the national team and see him against the same Iran. But there is a head coach who chooses the squad.

A friendly match between the national teams of Iran and Russia will be held at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Thursday, March 23. Watch the live broadcast of the game on the Match TV channel from 19:50 (Moscow time). You can also follow the match on matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru websites.