Zenit St Petersburg’s Hulk says his rift with fellow players and the coaching staff led him to hand in a transfer request but says he has made amends.
Hulk was embroiled in spats with coach Luciano Spalletti and captain Igor Denisov and announced his intention to quit in the January transfer window.
“I think I messed up. I was nervous and I said something I shouldn’t have. Nowadays I’m feeling better at Zenit, I have more confidence in the coach and teammates and I don’t think about that,” he told the Euronews TV channel.
“I felt I couldn’t perform because my teammates had no confidence in me.”
“Some players disrespected me, but I said nothing, to avoid more problems,” Hulk said, adding an affirmation when asked whether he was referring to Denisov and striker Alexander Kerzhakov.
Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti has hinted at splits in the squad between Russian and foreign players, who he suggested attended separate social events.
Zenit are third in the Russian league table, five points behind leaders CSKA Moscow with 11 games remaining.
Source: R-Sport
