If not judo, Olympic champion Arsene Galstyan easily could become … a football player, the same as his father. But in time understood what exactly judo is its main recognition. However, the love to soccer at Arsene remained. About what team is supported by the champion and why "Rubin" beat "Barcelona", read in exclusive interview Sportsreda.ru.

- Arsene, all three Olympic champions in judo – inhabitants of the Caucasus. How you consider with what it is connected?

- With what in the Caucasus this sport is most developed. In the south children since small years are engaged in judo or other types of single combats. It is the most suitable sport for Caucasians. The majority of southerners by the nature strong, strong-willed children, and to it easier happens to find itself in wrestling, than in any other sport.

- Probably, therefore you and your brothers chose for yourselves judo, instead of went in the footsteps of the father football player? !

- That I became a judoist, no wonder. In a different way, probably, also couldn't be. I was seven years old when we with a family from Armenia moved to Russia, to the Republic of Adygea. And it, as we know, some kind of Mecca judo. The strongest Olympic school, the best wrestlers of the country – all this was before our eyes. Besides, it is the Caucasus where boys as I already spoke, since the childhood send to schools of single combats. Here and we with brothers chose for ourselves judo. The father, though is a football player, approved our choice and in every possible way to us helped.

- Arsene, whether we will see you on University games in Kazan?

- Very much it would be desirable, but yet I don't know. Everything depends on the trainer and my condition. Just recently to me performed operation after a trauma. I know that ahead there is a lot of work - collecting, competitions. But if Ezio agrees and will tell that it is necessary to fight, we will fight.

- How you estimate the Tatarstan judoists?

- I heard about the Tatarstan school of judo, and I am pleased by successes of your children. It is visible that your city too is interested in development of judo and here much for this purpose becomes. I hope that this tendency won't avoid judo.

- It is known that you the furious football fan. What team you support?

- Earlier I supported "Chelsea", but here four years I am the fan of "Barcelona". I consider that it is the strongest team in the world, is stronger than them isn't present.

- And how you consider at the expense of what the Kazan "Rubin" managed to beat in due time "Barcelona"?

- I think that the European soccer strongly differs from Russian. And it was probably difficult to "Barcelona" to understand tactics of Russians who play absolutely in a different way. But also "Rubin" not weak team. I remember, it was spectacular game. I hope that Russian national team will sometime manage to break all the barriers and will show us the real soccer.

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