Zenit champions in 2013, Danny reassures fans

Moscow, Dec 11 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Zenit St. Petersburg captain Miguel Danny has reassured fans that the club will retain their Russian Premier League football title.

Zenit went into the three-month winter break in an unfamiliar third place after a 1-1 draw with second-placed Anzhi Makhachkala Monday.

CSKA Moscow lead on 43 points, Anzhi are second on 41 and Zenit third on 38.

“There is no problem because Zenit will be champions, in 2013,” the Portuguese playmaker told the club’s in-house station Zenit TV, speaking in Russian.

Danny was sent off in the closing stages of the match for dissent.

“It was 1-1, this was emotions. Like all the Zenit players, I apologise, it was emotions.”

Konstantin Zyryanov salvaged the point for Luciano Spalletti’s men after Joao Carlos had put Anzhi ahead with a first-half header.

“It was a very difficult match, we didn’t play well in the first half, but it was better in the second. We could have scored two or three. “

It was the 29-year-old’s fourth game as captain after taking the armband from goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev earlier this season.

Danny joined the club from Dynamo Moscow in 2008 for a fee of 30 million euros. He helped Zenit to the last two league titles.

—IANS/RIA Novosti

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IANS 2012-12-11 16:26:22