The central defender of Kyiv’s Dynamo Kristian Bilovar answered questions from the hosts of the YouTube channel “Football 360”.
— I was searching for your interviews on the internet today. In club media — yes, but I couldn’t find any other. Is it reluctance or disinterest?
— They don’t allow it at home. (Laughs). First of all, I’m already used to people talking about me on the internet. About me, in place of me. So I tend to take this position: when people have said enough, maybe I’ll say something.
— But do you keep track of what is written about you on the internet?
— I won’t lie: when I just returned to Dynamo (from loans at Desna, Chornomorets, and Cypriot AEL — ed. note), I read absolutely everything. I was interested in the comments, what people were writing, posting. But it affected me, it brought me down a bit.
Especially when I played my first match against Minai and made a mistake. Although the guys told me: “You just didn’t clear the ball properly, there’s nothing wrong with that. You didn’t score an own goal or anything else.”
But still, it touched me deeply, brought me down. Immediately, the nickname “Zyatka” appeared on the internet (Bilovar is the son-in-law of Dynamo president Igor Surkis — ed. note). To be honest, psychologically, it was very difficult for me for about a month or two after that.
Then I made a decision not to read. And it turned out that this season I started playing more. And when you play more and no longer make such serious mistakes, confidence comes. And you react to what is written about you in a completely different way psychologically.
— And now, when you’re almost the champion of Ukraine, don’t you want to respond to those who called you “Zyatka”?
— No, I don’t want to, because humility is...
— You know, one producer once told me: “Humility is the path to poverty.”
— So in my understanding, humility is the path to becoming a champion of Ukraine.
— How much does the frequent rotation, which Alexander Shovkovsky resorts to, affect the team?
— I can’t speak for all the players; I can only speak for myself. When I am given a chance to play, I only have one understanding: I must do everything possible first and foremost for the team, not for myself. Because the team has goals for the season. And if the team achieves these goals, then it benefits not only the team but also me as a player. When the team achieves its goals, interest from other clubs arises for its players, and offers for new contracts come. So the main thing is to work for the team.
— Has the president of Dynamo already told the team what awaits them for the championship?
— Not yet.
— Is the pressure in the championship race not as strong as before? There’s no longer that feeling that you can’t afford to drop points?
— In a team like Kyiv’s Dynamo, I think there is always pressure. Even just for a mistake. Because all the guys understand that this is a great club that everyone always wants to join, with high competition, and one that everyone always wants to beat. So the pressure is always present and affects players of any position.
— Who did you consider your main competitor in the race for the championship throughout the championship — Alexandria or Shakhtar?
— Both of these teams are our direct competitors. There was no underestimation of Alexandria on our part. Even in the first round, the “city dwellers” proved to be a very decent team. Both in terms of gameplay and personnel. Yes, everyone will probably say our main competitor is Shakhtar, but the standings currently say something completely different.
— With whom among your Dynamo partners in central defense do you feel most comfortable playing?
— I could say that Popov is my best friend, and therefore it’s most comfortable for me on the field with him. But all the guys I play with in defense, I don’t even consider competitors: they help me progress. And I can’t choose just one, because each of them has qualities that let them be in Dynamo. That’s my subjective opinion. Each one of them is my ideal partner in defense.
— You recently became a dad. How much has this changed your life? What are the feelings?
— The feelings are only positive. When this happened, of course, there was a bit of anxiety, just like before my first game for Dynamo. But I can say for myself: I have not experienced better feelings than from the birth of a child in my life.
— Does this inspire you to play better?
— It inspires for everything, not just for playing football or working more. I wake up in the morning — it’s pure joy. You want to run over to see that everything is fine and that it’s breathing. Just joy.
— How well does grandfather manage to spend time with his grandson?
— Sometimes there are misunderstandings. Of course, age and status come into play. I have to step back a bit and make way for the grandfather. But in general, when we spend time together, everyone is interested, and everyone is happy. I can say thank you again to my wife for giving me this — it’s now the meaning of my life.
— Have you all been to a football match together yet?
— The child is four months old; we’re trying not to take him to places with many people for now. But I think that in the future, he will watch every match of the Dynamo together with his grandfather.