Hiddink: Russia must learn their lesson

Published on Wednesday 25 June 2008 10:28

RUSSIA might as well not bother showing up for their Euro 2008 semi-final against Spain if they play anything like they did in their group stage hammering by the Spanish, said coach Guus Hiddink.

The Dutchman, who has found a way of plugging the holes in the defence that leaked so badly in that first match and coaxed the team into playing a stylish attacking game, vowed there would be no repeat of that 4-1 drubbing tomorrow.

"If we play as we did before we don't even have to start this game. We may as well hand over our wallets to Spain," he said after a training session in Vienna. "We have tried, of course, to improve. The team has learnt a lot in a very short time."

Midfielder Ivan Saenko, who had an ankle injury, had an individual workout yesterday and Hiddink said he still did not know whether he would be fit.

"He's still got a little bit of a problem but we will see if he can participate," the coach said.