Little by little things are starting to improve for Hulk at his new club Zenit St Petersburg. After a poor start on the pitch and a revolt in the dressing, the former Porto star could be forgiven for feeling a little uneasy. However, Igor Denisov, vice-captain of the club and one of the players who revolted after signing of Brazilian, apologised for his behaviour and has been accepted back into the squad.
Denisov, 28, refused to play in a match in September and demanded a pay increase to match the wages of Hulk and Axel Witsel, who joined the club at the same time as Hulk from Benfica. The Russian international spoke out, along with Zenit striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov, over the huge sums being paid to the pair, stating they were not “Messi or Iniesta”.
However, Denisov has been accepted back into the Zenit squad after apologising for his behaviour and admitting that it was wrong to criticise the clubs transfer policy.
He told the official Zenit website: “It took me a while to realise what happened. My behaviour was wrong in that situation, and I was very emotional. As a result, I could not help my teammates and meet the expectations of fans. I have a contract in place and need, and want, to work for the club.”
