Coach Dick Advocaat is urging caution from Zenit St. Petersburg side as they host Group H’s surprise package, FC BATE Borisov.
Zenit are still without a point in their first ever campaign in the Champions League after losing their opening two games, against Juventus and Real Madrid.
“BATE are quick, very aggressive and have a lot of movement,” warned Advocaat. “It’s difficult to defend against sides like that and, though I don’t think they will be as open as they were against Juventus, we will have to be very sharp and focused.
“They like to attack and create space so they can score. Hopefully, we will not play as attractively as we did in the first two games but win,” continued the Dutchman.
BATE counterpart Viktor Goncharenko says that despite his side’s impressive start in the competition, he regards this year’s campaign mainly as a means of gaining experience at the highest level.
“People are no longer asking us if we will be satisfied with conceding only two or three goals,” he said. “But in any case our aim in the Champions League hasn’t changed – we want to gain experience.
“We are not nervous. I am just hopeful that both teams will play beautiful football.”
