Key Takeaways: Zenit Coach Semak Discusses Loss to Baltika, Focuses on Player Well-Being

The head coach of Zenit, **[Sergey Semak](https://www.sports.ru/tags/582-sergej-semak/)**, shared his thoughts on the friendly match against Baltika, which ended with a score of 1-2.

«The most important thing is that everyone is safe and healthy. As for the match itself, the first half was better, which is understandable. The second half was more challenging, but most of the guys felt fine, although some got a bit tired towards the end. The substitutions were mainly out of necessity. We replaced players who seemed more fatigued and who were at a higher risk of injury. Overall, it was a working game, fairly good in terms of competitiveness and intensity.

We will prepare for the upcoming match. There’s not much time left. I hope we are nearing the end of the conditioning phase and will soon start focusing specifically on our matches. Even though the schedule is tight, we have two, possibly three, more friendly games left. Let’s hope we are in good shape for the start of the championship,» Semak said, as reported by the official website of the St. Petersburg club.