On Sunday, Zenit had a chance to top the RPL table for at least a couple of hours. The current national champion got in the way of the unexpectedly accelerated Lokomotiv, which snatched victory in the very end.

By this time, Artem Dzyuba was no longer on the field, and he did not score any goals in the game. However, this did not stop him from becoming the most noticeable character in the mixed zone.

“Semak? And who is it?”

Dziuba’s relationship with journalists this season has reached a new level. Not long ago, in the parking lot of Loko’s home stadium, he threatened a correspondent to “put the phone in one place.” Artem has not spoken to the press in a specially designated area after the game since then.

Strakhinya Erakovic and Artem Dzyuba / Photo: © Vyacheslav Evdokimov / FC Zenit

The striker did not give interviews after the game with Zenit. He crossed the mixed zone at a brisk pace, not intending to stop in front of the journalists. And yet, he managed to throw out a couple of phrases on the go, responding to remarks from one of the media representatives. The dialogue turned out to be short but memorable.

– I’m happy! – said Dzyuba.

– That’s all?

– Yes!

— Did you expect this to happen? Lokomotiv was not given any chance.

“We don’t understand football well.”

— Have you made peace with Semak?

– And who is it?

During the game, Dziuba didn’t seem to get hit on the head, but the 35-year-old man has obvious problems with his memory. If Artem knows how to use the Internet (and we know that he can), then after a couple of clicks he will find out that Semak is a five-time Russian champion as a player and the same number of times as a coach. And this man also coached him for four seasons.

Naked King

Seriously, with his phrase Dziuba left no reason to consider himself anything other than a primitive boor. Usually such people are confident in their exceptional sense of humor, but their jokes only make them laugh. His words about Semak are difficult to perceive in an ironic way. Dziuba is clearly offended by the coach and is not even going to hide it.

For the first time after Dzyuba left Zenit, they crossed paths last spring. Lokomotiv then conceded, and Dzyuba did not want to shake Semak’s hand. The moment turned out to be not entirely unambiguous; if desired, Artyom could be justified by inattention: he simply did not notice an old acquaintance with whom he does not hang out. It’s just hard to believe in this.

Sergey Semak / Photo: © Vyacheslav Evdokimov / FC Zenit

On the eve of the match with Loko, Semak was asked if he was ready to shake Dziuba’s hand.

— We haven’t communicated with Dzyuba for a long time. Will there be a handshake with him? I am always open to everyone, absolutely without exception. There is no person I wouldn’t want to say hello to,” Semak said.

Answer from an adult man. Against this background, Dziuba’s behavior looks pitiful. For Semak, in fact, there is no conflict. Artem clearly believes that Zenit treated him unfairly, and in his head he appointed Semak as the main culprit. For a person with Dziuba’s psychotype, such behavior is quite natural. Many, even at 35 years old, remain children, confident in their exclusivity, but if someone violates their picture of the world, he instantly becomes a personal enemy.

Artem Dzyuba / Photo: © Denis Bushkovsky / Match TV

Sunday’s victory clearly blew the minds of Dzyuba, who, in euphoria, for some reason kissed his former Zenit partners. It was clear from their reaction that they were not prepared for such a turn. If during failures Dziuba becomes a toxic child, then after victories it is difficult for him to walk through the door because of the huge crown. In this state, he really feels like the king of the world, hence this disparaging remark about Semak.

On the field, Dzyuba did not show anything special. I tried, fought, pushed, but other players made the result. This still did not stop him from feeling like a king. If in football terms it is stupid to dispute Dziuba’s merits, then in human terms it is obvious that this king is naked.