Russia’s Anzhi will aim to win every game they play in the Europa League after being drawn against Liverpool, Italy’s Udinese and Young Boys of Switzerland, Anzhi goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov told R-Sport on Wednesday.
The Group A campaign will be the first serious test for Guus Hiddink's side’s ability to deliver European silverware for billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov.
Anzhi won every game they played in three qualifying rounds, scoring 15 goals and conceding none.
“We’re not planning to rest on our laurels and we will go out to win each match in the Europa League,” Gabulov said, adding that the group was “very combative”.
The Anfield crowd will not intimidate Gabulov when Anzhi travel to Liverpool for their match October 25, the former CSKA Moscow goalkeeper suggested.
“I’ve managed to play and win in games against British teams and in front of a British crowd. I can just about imagine what awaits us in Liverpool.”
Anzhi’s players were mocked and their fans racially abused by fans of Moscow teams when the Caucasus-based side played a Europa League qualifier against AZ Alkmaar at Lokomotiv Moscow’s ground.
Anzhi’s home stadium in the province of Dagestan is banned from hosting European football for security reasons and the team plans to play its other home games at the Lokomotiv stadium, but Gabulov said the hostile reception would not put Anzhi off.
“If things like that are going to keep happening, then there’s nothing else left for us to do but to ignore everything else on the pitch and prove everything just with our game,” he said.
Anzhi’s first group stage match is away to Udinese on September 20.
