The defender of Kyiv Dynamo Alan Aussi, who plays on loan for Armenian Pyunik, has talked about his career.
- Alan, first of all, tell us about your injury. How is your recovery?
- It is a non-football injury. I had an operation on my hand. The recovery is going positively.
- What are the objectives for "Pyunik" this season?
- The only goal is not to lower the bar.
- Pyunik has played in the group stage of the conference league this season and has scored two wins. What was the atmosphere at the home games in Yerevan?
- Some games had full stands, which is a rarity in Armenian football.
- The owner of Pyunik, Artur Soghomonyan runs a business in Russia. How do you feel about it?
- No comment. There are a lot of smart people in Armenia who support Ukraine in this conflict.
- You trained with Borussia Dortmund in the first half of last year. How did this option arise?
- They "guided" me from an early age and at the difficult moments they gave me a helping hand.
- Did you take part in Borussia's training sessions with the main team?
- Yes, I checked in with the first team from time to time.
- Last season, star forward Erling Holand played for Borussia. Have you had time to get acquainted and train with him?
- I had more than one or two training sessions with Erling. I can only say that I think highly of him as a man, because we all know what a footballer he is.
- What were your impressions of your participation in Borussia's friendly with Dynamo, in which you played for Dortmund?
- I was happy to take part in this game, meet old friends from Dynamo, play for one of the best clubs in the world in one of the best stadiums with a T-shirt with my surname on it. And, of course, to raise money to help Ukraine.
- Borussia remember Andriy Yarmolenko?
- Yes, several times in conversation with me, the guys mentioned Yarmolenko, of course.
- You mentioned that at Borussia you were not treated well. Can you tell us more about it?
- I do not remember the interview in which they wrote so, but journalists took my words out of context and twisted them, because they needed it. During my time in Dortmund, I gave a huge number of interviews and everywhere I thanked the club for all the good they did for me and for Ukraine during the war.
The bad attitude, as written, was that they did not let me leave the club until last, but they did not offer me a contract. They said general phrases: "everything will be all right".
At some point there was no time left, so I accepted Pyunik's offer, as I knew the team was playing in the European Cups. It was a good opportunity for me.
- Last February, you went on loan to the "Veres" Rivne, but did not debut in the UPL because of the outbreak of full-scale war. Did the coaching staff rely on you as their main player?
- I know only that the coaching staff believed in me. I think they were counting on me as a key player. I remember it very sadly, but I was very disappointed that I could not be useful to "Veres", because everyone treated me well there, better than anywhere else.
- Did you receive any offers from Veres to come back to the team?
- We talked to each other, but we have not come to a common decision.
- You played together with Zabarniy in the junior team of Dynamo. Even then, you could already see that Ilya has a great future?
- It was obvious that the man has a certain level, and with the proper confidence he received, he will be able to realize his potential.
- How would you assess Zabarniy's prospects at Bournemouth?
- I can wish him good luck, prove himself in the best league in the world.
- Did you participate in the training sessions of the Dynamo main team?
- I took part once. I think, if not for my injury, I would have been involved more than once. But when I turned 18, I went to the Czech Republic on loan.
- In 2020, you became the bronze medalist of the Belarusian championship with Torpedo-Belaz. What were your emotions about this achievement?
- I had the best emotions, we had a good team, we were going to the goal the whole season. I will remember this bronze medal for the rest of my life. I am grateful to Yuriy Puntus for believing in me. At that time, there were almost no young players in the team, especially 19-year-olds like me.
- In one of the decisive games Torpedo-Belaz beat Dynamo (Brest), the Champions of Belarus, Artem Milevsky played for. Was it hard to play against him?
- Vladimir Vladimirovich is a bulk! A colossally experienced player, it was not easy to play against him.
- Recall how you moved from Shakhtar to Dynamo five years ago.
- I do not like to recall that time. It was hard, but that's life, it happens.
- When you played for Shakhtar's youth team, did you cross paths with Mykhailo Mudryk? How do you assess his talent and prospects at Chelsea?
- Yes, we played together at Shakhtar and in the Ukraine youth team. I see that he has grown a lot during this time. I wish him good luck in order to prove himself the best way possible.
- With whom else of Shakhtar's current key players have you played together?
- Tolya Trubin and I have known each other since the age of seven, since the first recruitment to the Shakhtar Academy. With Fima Konoplya we occasionally played FIFA in the room after dinner at the base. We chatted well with Danyu Sikan in the youth team. In fact, with many more, in one way or another.
- You have played a few games for Ukraine's youth teams, but did not make your debut in the youth team. Is the coaching staff keeping an eye on you? Have they been in contact with Ruslan Rotan or his assistants?
- I heard that I was supposed to go to some training camp of the youth team, but I eventually did not go. Then, after some time, I was told not to wait for a call-up.
- You have previously said that the Syrian national team actively invited you. Has this story continued?
- They invite me still, but I refuse.
Andrei Kaplun