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The Russian team is going to be a favourite in today’s match. It is not the time when Russia and Wales were fighting for getting into the final stage of championships. The Welsh team is not that good and the team under reins of Guus Hiddink has uprised in the world rankings. Nevertheless the head coach of the Russian team looked very serious at the yesterday’s pre-match press-conference.
"It is rather bad for Wales that such players as Bellamy, Gabbidon and Koumas won’t play," said Hiddink. "But that does not mean that it is easier for us. That often happens that the substituting players are no worse than the ones of the main squad and they are definitely more up to the game. Moreover in the world there is no more difference between small and big football countries. On Saturday we could see that Italy managed to win Cyprus only in extra-time."
"That is true that Tottenham sent us a fax asking us to spare Pavlyuchenko, but our doctors approved of his playing. He has fully recovered after the injury. Roman is ready to play and he proves it on the trainings. Nobody is secured from an injury; I can get injured when stumbling over the step while leaving this press-center."
When the Russian team starts their qualification series with a home match they have never lost before, we have four victories and two draws. Wales and Russia played each other for seven times: three victories, three draws and one defeat for Russia. But while at home we have never lost to the Welsh.
The head coach of the Welsh team John Toshack said at the press conference that Russia is a favourite.
"Russia together with Germany is a favourite of the group," said Toshack. "The Russians started rather poorly at Euro 2008 but then they solved all their problems and showed wonderful football against Holland."
"We are paying special attention to the forward who has left for Tottenham [Pavlyuchenko] and to another powerful forward [Pogrebnyak]. But the main task is to resist the midfield with Arshavin at the head. I hope we won’t let them play their favourite give-and-go football."
Toshak has also informed that Carl Fletcher participation in the match is questionable and plained about the absence of Koumas.
