Konstantin Lepyokhin, a former 'Zenit' football player, shared his thoughts on the possibility of Malcom's return and the defeat in the friendly match against 'Baltika' in an exclusive interview with the online publication 'Evro-Futbol.Ru'. This was reported by Euro-football.ru.
He commented on the media reports about Malcom potentially leaving 'Al-Hilal' and returning to 'Zenit'. Lepyokhin emphasized that if Malcom is at his previous level, he would add significant strength to the team.
At the same time, he mentioned that a lot can change for the player in two years. The ex-footballer also discussed the need for 'Zenit' to have a strong central striker.
He stressed the importance of having a good striker and stated that various options should be considered based on the team's current capabilities. He also expressed confidence that there would be no issues related to strikers, but reminded that the importance of scoring goals should not be forgotten.
The former 'Zenit' player noted that the decision not to bring back Sergey Sergeyev was correct. He emphasized that the return of the player and scoring goals cannot be guaranteed, and such situations can only be assessed based on facts.
He does not see the defeat against 'Baltika' as a serious problem. Lepyokhin stated that results in pre-season preparations are not always a clear confirmation.
While talking about the new transfer Vega, he mentioned that there are opportunities for him to play at 'Zenit', but there is strong competition within the team. He said that as a young player, he could quickly show strong performance.
He also approved of coach Semak's intention to involve young players Kondakov and Shilov more in the game. Lepyokhin emphasized that this is a great opportunity for these young players and that they need to strive to showcase themselves.
He also indicated that if there are issues in certain positions within the team, there is a possibility of bringing in experienced players. He shared his thoughts on the number of friendly matches.
He stated that this situation is not harmful to the team, as games are being played with various lineups and tactics, and that the coaches have correctly distributed the workload considering the team's condition.
