Advocaat calls for substance over style

With his team having failed so far to transfer their attacking brand of football to the UEFA Champions League, coach Dick Advocaat is urging caution from FC Zenit St. Petersburg as they host Group H's surprise package, FC BATE Borisov.

'Very aggressive'
Zenit are still without a point in their debut campaign in Europe's élite club competition after losing their opening two games, against Juventus and Real Madrid CF, and prop up the section after BATE got off the mark with an eye-catching 2-2 draw with the Italian giants last time out. "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."

Winning ugly
Having struck twice in the first 23 minutes against the Bianconeri, BATE are clearly not averse to attacking from the off either, though Advocaat believes this could be to his team's advantage. "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, who also allayed fears that his side were suffering from burnout. Zenit were held to a 2-2 draw at FC Spartak Nalchik at the weekend after conceding three minutes from time, but Advocaat insists the Petrovsky Stadium will witness "a different Zenit from the one that played last Saturday".

Injury-free
He may mean that in the literal sense as Kim Dong Jin and Viktor Fayzulin are knocking on the door of the first team, and Advocaat has all but Nicolas Lombaerts at his disposal. BATE counterpart Viktor Goncharenko is similarly blessed, with Aleksandr Ermakovich his only absentee, and the Borisov side arrive in St Petersburg in high spirits after taking another step towards the Belarussian title on Friday. A goalless draw away to nearest rivals FC MTZ-RIPO Minsk leaves the Vysshaya Liga leaders needing just six points from their five remaining matches to reclaim the crown.

Different expectations
If Goncharenko is taking nothing for granted, however, BATE's opponents will be doing likewise in the wake of their draw with Juve. "Before the group stage, everybody was certain we would get nothing from our six games but that has all changed since Juventus," said the coach, who welcomes defender Anri Khagush back from suspension. "People are no longer asking us if we will be satisfied with conceding only two or three goals. But in any case our aim in the Champions League hasn't changed – we want to gain experience."

Pellegrini protégé
Goncharenko has certainly come a long way since spending time shadowing Manuel Pellegrini at Villarreal CF last season, a trip he says he "learned a lot from". Villarreal refused to be daunted by some of Europe's biggest names when they reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2005/06, and a lack of fear has also underpinned BATE's progress this term. "We are not nervous," said Goncharenko, turning his attention to Zenit. "I am just hopeful that both teams will play beautiful football."