Photo: © Dmitry Chelyapin / Match TV
The decision of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to remove Russian clubs from competitions under the auspices of the organization is a manifestation of double standards, but nothing can be done about it, said Zenit St. Petersburg defender Dejan Lovren.
According to the UEFA decision, Russia will not be represented in European competition in the 2022/23 season. On May 13, Zenit, Dynamo, CSKA and Sochi filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against this decision.
– This year, Zenit will not participate in European competition. It’s very painful. And I can’t understand this solution. Sports and politics should be independent, and now a lot of athletes, not only football players, have been punished. Even Paralympic athletes who have dedicated their lives to making it to the Games are not allowed to compete. We see that there is a policy of double standards, but there is nothing we can do about it. We just have to show our strength, this season to be even better, and I believe that we will return to the European competition,” Lovren said in an interview with Match TV.
The International Football Federation (FIFA), in turn, announced that foreign football players will have the right to suspend their employment contracts with clubs from Russia until June 30, 2023. Horvat Lovren said he had no doubts about returning to Russia.
– I spoke with Alexander Medvedev and immediately assured him that I would stay at Zenit. I signed a three-year contract with the club, which left one more season.
In general, the situation is very difficult, including for me. There is a lot of pressure on me and some people want me to leave here. I don’t like it, because everything that happens today is neither my fault, nor the fault of Zenit. I have nothing against Russia, I was well received here, I have good friends here.
Will my decision affect a possible call-up to the Croatian national team? Of course, the absence of Zenit in the Champions League cannot but affect, but in any case, you must always continue to work, strive to improve your game, be 100% ready for every match.
If my national team doesn’t need me, what can I do? If the national team considers that there are players who deserve to be on the field more than me, then I will only have to support my team from the outside. It’s simple for me – I’m always ready to give my all in games for the national team, – added 32-year-old Lovren.
Lovren played 70 matches for the Croatian national team and scored 4 goals.
