Ex-Zenit player, Norwegian footballer Erik Hagen provoked a huge scandal by declaring in the media that Zenit players were forced to bribe a referee in a UEFA Cup match, persuading them to chip in three thousand dollars. Zenit denied all accusations, and Dick Advocaat and Vyacheslav Koloskov spoke on this topic. Hagen was accused of lying, of being stoned before the interview, and they even threatened him with legal proceedings. Meanwhile, the media found out what match they were presumably talking about.

Norwegian footballer Erik Hagen, who once played for Zenit, caused a stir around the world. His statement about how, when he was a club player, Zenit players chipped in to bribe a referee in a UEFA Cup match provoked a huge scandal.

Let us remind you that on Wednesday, April 2, an interview with Hagen was published in the Norwegian press, in which he stated that allegedly after one of the UEFA Cup matches, in which the blue-white-blues won, the Zenit players gave away 3 thousand dollars out of 12 thousand dollars bonus money to the referee of the meeting. Hagen did not name the judge.

Comments rained down, hinting that Hagen was probably recording the interview, to put it mildly, “not in full health,” and that the consequences for him could be very serious. In response, the eccentric Norwegian stated that if the matter comes to official proceedings, he is ready to provide UEFA with all the required evidence.

Meanwhile, Zenit has already announced that it will not initiate an investigation and has completely disowned Hagen’s accusations of dishonesty.

The Zenit football club always adheres to the principles of fair play and sees no reason for an investigation in connection with Eric Hagen's statement about the alleged bribery of a referee in a UEFA Cup match in 2005, General Director of FC Zenit Maxim Mitrofanov told ITAR-TASS agency .

“I see no reason to conduct an investigation into this case,” said Mitrofanov. “If UEFA still decides to conduct it, our club will provide the necessary assistance and provide all requested materials. In any competition, be it the Russian championship or European cups, Zenit “I adhered and adheres to the principles of fair play,” noted the club’s general director.

Former Zenit coach, now head of the Dutch AZ Dick Advocaat, was also surprised by Hagen’s “outpourings”. According to the Advocate, he knows nothing about the bribery of judges by Zenit players, which ex-Zenit player Hagen spoke about.

“Of course, I have never paid this money to anyone and have never heard of anything like this,” the R-Sport agency quotes the Advocate as saying to De Telegraaf. “It’s strange that this comes up a few years later. Honestly, it’s hard for me to even imagine like that."

If Zenit turns to FIFA, Hagen may be suspended from football, honorary president of the RFU Vyacheslav Koloskov told Moskovsky Komsomolets.

“In principle, if Zenit wishes, it can contact this committee, referring to the interview of this Hagen, and request to open records on this matter. The investigation will come to some conclusion, it is clear that it will not be in Hagen’s favor.. . Because this is just ridiculous! Players chipped in three thousand dollars to buy a referee - it’s impossible to even imagine. It’s hard to think of anything stupider... Moreover, when Zenit became the champion - it was absolutely according to the game. There was a great team. So that, if desired, the St. Petersburg team can ask FIFA to consider this issue,” Koloskov said.

In this case, what awaits Hagen? A fine or maybe suspension from football?

Of course, for libel, a decision may be made to ban Hagen from playing football at a professional level, Koloskov suggested. (Note that Hagen has now left professional sports).

Eric Hagen probably chewed some kind of grass before talking about the bribery of the referee by Zenit players, UEFA Cup winner ex-Zenit player Alexander Gorshkov told the R-Sport agency.

And here’s what Hagen told the Norwegian weekly Verdens Gang: “Before one of the European Cup matches, the players were told to chip in $3,000 to bribe the judge, and then we would win. I was indignant, saying that we are already stronger than the opponent, so why should we pay? But that’s all.” chose the bribery option, I also paid money. I was so angry, who was ready to break everything that stood in the way. Then one of the partners came up to me and promised that this would not happen again.

— Were there other similar incidents?

“For the last ten games of the 2007 Russian Championship, the referees made decisions in favor of Zenit, and this made me feel very uncomfortable. But in the previous championship everything was different,” Sportbox.ru quotes the Norwegian press.

Later, the media unearthed that Hagen supposedly meant the Zenit match with the Portuguese Victoria in the group stage of the UEFA Cup in the 2005/2006 season.

The match took place on October 20, 2005 in St. Petersburg and ended with a score of 2:1 in favor of the St. Petersburgers.

UEFA Cup 2005/2006

Group stage

“Zenit” (St. Petersburg, Russia) - “Vitoria” (Portugal) - 2:1 (1:0)

Goals: Spivak, 39. Arshavin, 54 - Neka, 59.

As for the initiator of the scandal, Eric Hagen, here is the biographical information of the ex-Zenit player, which is provided by Soviet Sport.

Born: 07/20/1975 (38 years old)

Citizenship: Norway

Role: defender

Career: until 2005 he played for various Norwegian clubs. In 2005 he moved to Zenit, where he played for three years. He played 94 matches for the St. Petersburg team, scored 4 goals (against Rostov, Torpedo, Lokomotiv and Zlate Moravce), earned 30 yellow cards and was sent off the field 4 times. At the end of 2007, he stopped being part of the Zenit team, so he first went on loan to the English Wigan, and then returned to his homeland. Played 28 matches for the Norwegian national team (2004-2007), scored 2 goals. In 2012 he retired. Achievements: winner of the Norwegian Cup (2002), champion of Russia (2007).

"King of Squares"

To be honest, I don’t know much about Scandinavian football and, having decided to write about the Norwegian legionnaire of my favorite team, I did not delve into the archives in search of information about the unfamiliar football life of an almost unfamiliar country. I want to talk about today’s Hagen, about how we, the fans, know him.

The first time I saw him was on March 12, 2004 in a match against Dynamo Moscow. The menacing almost two-meter giant made an indelible impression on me. Zenit's defense in this match looked more reliable than ever. All attempts of the Portuguese legionnaires Romantsev to get into the penalty area of ​​the St. Petersburg club were in vain. Zenit then won 4-1, and Panzer-Hagen (as he was called in Norway) received his first yellow card in Russia.

The St. Petersburg “Varangian” almost immediately acquired the nickname “Viking” and the stereotypical image of a fearless warrior with an iron will and a cold heart. More than one legend has been written about the Hagen defeat in the Petrovsky locker room. This happened after the meeting with Guimarães in the first match of the group stage of the UEFA Cup. The game was tough, especially the second half. The St. Petersburg team still managed to take three points, but hardly anyone would turn their tongues to call what happened at Petrovsky that evening a “victory” in the full sense of the word. Eric Hagen, who practically pulled out the end of the match, later admitted that he was burning with shame in front of the fans. After the final whistle, he tried to leave the field as quickly as possible - he wanted to quickly hide from thousands of eyes and cameras.

Disappointedly entering the locker room, he saw his colleagues calmly talking, their carefree laughter brought the annoyed Viking into indescribable anger - with one blow of his boot he broke through the iron door of the locker room. Perhaps the strikers of our championship have something to fear.

But, strange as it may seem, in real life Eric is a smiling and friendly guy. He talks quite amicably with the press, and what is equally important, he almost never refuses autographs from fans. It is about one of these meetings between Eric and fans, which in my opinion was quite funny, that I want to talk about.

One day last summer, two of my girlfriends went to Udelnoye to get his autograph. But they wanted him not only to sign, but also to write something as a keepsake. But that was the whole problem: Eric doesn’t understand Russian, and the girls practically don’t know English. They frantically began to remember at least something from the school course. And as a result, the phrase was born: “Ken yu ride anifin fo mi?” Having gathered their courage, the girls approached the idol. But here’s the problem: in the confusion, they forgot to agree on who would speak to Hagen first. At first both were silent, and then they rattled off the “tortured” phrase in one voice. The girls thought that they had embarrassed themselves in front of their idol, that he was about to make them laugh, but he smiled and said: “Youre the best” and wrote on the poster: “Zenit has pretty fans.” The girls, in turn, said that he was the best football player, and Eric answered in Russian: “No, I’m the king of squares.” An unusually charming person.

It is not easy for foreign legionnaires in Russia: it is difficult to adapt to a completely foreign country, and even more difficult to learn the most difficult language on the planet at the age of 30. But recently Hagen made a real friend, with whom there are no language barrier problems - this is the dog Jerry. The circumstances of their acquaintance are further proof of the good soul of the Scandinavian defender. Eric rents a house next to the base. One day, through the window, he saw homeless people dragging a small puppy somewhere. It’s no secret that tramps don’t get cats and dogs just for fun; their recent pets very quickly turn into a hearty dinner. Eric rushed to the rescue with all his might and forcibly took the puppy away from the homeless.

Jerry has been living with him ever since. He almost never leaves his pet, they even train together! Other inhabitants of the base also dote on Jerry. And Ivica Krizanac even pays half the cost of vaccinations.

In music and cinema, Hagen prefers the classics. He most often spends his free time at home with his loving family. This is how he is - the fearless and ferocious Hagen.

Eric Hagen(Norwegian Erik Bjornstad Hagen, born July 20, 1975 in the village of Veme, Norway) is a Norwegian football player, central defender of the Zenit St. Petersburg club and the Norwegian national team.

He made his debut for Norway in October 2004 in a match against Scotland.

In December 2004 he moved to Zenit, becoming the first Norwegian football player in the Russian Championship. Since 2006 - vice-captain of the team. Since 2007 - team captain. In the 2005 championship he received 12 yellow cards in 28 matches.

Fan of Italian football. He has been a fan of Milan since childhood. Favorite player - Franco Baresi.

Married, has a daughter, Marte.

His twin brother Rune Hagen is also a professional footballer who played for the Norwegian Olympic team.

Achievements
Winner of the Norwegian Cup (2002).
Silver medalist at the Norwegian Championship (2004)
Champion of Russia (2007)

Eric Hagen: “I have to be aggressive, otherwise I won’t be Hagen.”

The new captain of Zenit St. Petersburg, Eric Hagen, gave an interview to Sovetsky Sport, in which he explained why he was chosen for this post and what he was going to do to raise the mood of the team.

– Eric, how do you like your new role? Is it good to be a team captain?

- It's a common thing! I have led the team onto the field more than once before, as a vice-captain, and now... after the sensational story... the guys chose me. Thanks to them for this - it gives confidence. In general, we Norwegians are a violent people, and this distinguishes us from Eastern Europeans. This is probably why they decided to choose me as captain - maybe they decided that I was able to transfer my energy to others...

– Are you still not going to stand on ceremony with the judges?

– Well, it usually doesn’t happen once in a while. I have to be aggressive, otherwise I won't be Hagen. I'm not going to change my behavior. Besides, I'm not that much of a debater. Yes, sometimes I throw out my emotions, but you can’t change yourself. I don’t know how to communicate in Russian yet, but the judges understand everything in English, so there are no problems with resolving controversial situations in the game.

– In the last match between Amkar and Zenit, did you have time to communicate as a captain with referee Nikolaev?

- Undoubtedly. But these were ordinary work moments. By the way, Russian judges are less talkative than in Norway - this is their main difference. At home, I could calmly talk to the referee, but in the Russian championship, just like that, they’ll slap a yellow card for this.

– Don’t captains change often at Zenit? Either Radimov was deprived of the bandage, then Arshavin...

– The situation is not normal, of course, but I think that we should not focus on it. In a team, all players are equal and for me it is not so important whether I am the captain or not.

– Do you promise that you won’t do anything that would get you demoted?

“I don’t even know what I can do.” Why change anything and create problems for yourself? And in the event of force majeure, there will be players who can take on captaincy duties. The same Malafeev.

– How did the election of the new captain go?

– I wouldn’t like to talk about it.

– Eric, did you think what you would say to the guys before the match in the locker room?

– Before the game, everyone prepares themselves, my participation is not required. What do I owe? Shout chants? Make loud speeches? This is not for me. I'm an old-fashioned guy from Norway.

– Can you, for example, smash the door of the Petrovsky locker room, as they did several years ago during a break in the game with Guimaraes?

“It’s expensive to destroy doors... Although,” he thinks for a second. - Everything is possible. But this is not part of my immediate plans. Let's do without extremes.

“We are all happy that these players have returned to the main team and can once again benefit Zenit.”

– How then can you explain the incomprehensible defensive play?

“Now a difficult period has come that needs to be overcome. Dynamo is ahead. And... I don’t even want to think about the fact that we won’t achieve victory again.

Hagen detonates the "bomb". Full version of the interview with the former Zenit player about bribes and strange matches

An interview with ex-Zenit defender Erik Hagen to the Norwegian publication Vg.no could cause a huge scandal in world football - the player made a number of scandalous statements that compromise Zenit in particular and Russian football in general.

Before one of the European Cup matches, it became known that our player knew the referee. This in itself is very strange. At that time, we were paid bonuses of 12 thousand dollars for winning European Cups. Before the game, we were told that each football player must pay 3 thousand from his bonuses for the referee in order to win.

I then stood up and said: “What the hell am I?” We are already better than our opponents. However, despite this, the players decided to go a different route and paid the money, Hagen said.

Hagen played for Zenit from 2005 to 2008.

Together with the St. Petersburg club, he won the Russian Championship in 2007, the UEFA Cup in 2008 and the UEFA Super Cup in the same year.

The author of the text separately notes that, according to Hagen, in that match Zenit conceded four goals, but the referee canceled them all due to offside (Hagen later corrected himself and stated that there were two missed goals - editor's note)

Our rivals were doomed,” Hagen continues. “I was angry then, I broke both mirrors in the locker room and broke the doors.

But you also paid the judge? - asks the journalist.

Yes, I paid $3,000 of my bonuses. Then a teammate came up to me and promised that something like this would never happen again,” said the Norwegian.

Vg.no reports that, according to Hagen, the UEFA Cup match was not the only such case. Eric said that it was also difficult for him in the Russian championship game, and he recalled with a laugh Zenit’s golden championship season in 2007.

Oh, these last ten championship matches. God. All the judges' decisions were in our favor then. It was quite awkward.

And in the previous season we fought with CSKA for the title, and we had a head-to-head meeting with the army team at the end of the season. There was so much talk of bribery. Even before the start of the match, the newspapers wrote that the club presidents would try to organize a fixed match.

Already at the beginning of the match we were given an offside when the player was in the right position with a margin of several meters. Then we realized that everything was captured here. Then CSKA took a corner, no one touched anyone there at all, but our goal was awarded a penalty. Naturally, CSKA won and they got the title,” said Hagen.

Soviet Sports columnist Evgeny Lovchev talks about why the Norwegian defender tells half-truths.

Russian football is not the first to encounter this kind of story when foreign players say nasty things about our league,” says Lovchev. “Remember the story when they wrote a lengthy match between Zenit and Bayern? The problem is that Hagen is not telling the whole truth . I was told to chip in to the judge who knows our player - who said, who knows the player, who later expressed regret? Speak if you open your mouth! But you can’t present a broken door and mirrors as evidence. ()

Another very interesting character played in Zenit. The autobiography “Struggle” by ex-player of the Dutch national team and Zenit Fernando Ricksen caused a real sensation - more than 25 thousand copies were sold in Holland in a week. Prostitutes in the team hotel, meeting Hollywood stars in a clinic where they are treated for alcohol addiction, addiction to cocaine - Fernando wrote about this and much more as frankly as possible.

Career at Zenit - 2006–2009, 45 matches, 2 goals

Achievements: champion of Russia, winner of the Russian Super Cup, UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Another scandalous interview after leaving Russia was given by former Lokomotiv and Tom striker Harry O'Connor. In an interview with British media, the Scot said that at the beginning of this year he became a different person, namely, he gave up drugs, old friends and began to think about family.

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He made his debut for Norway in October 2004 in a match against Scotland.

In December 2004 he moved to Zenit, becoming the first Norwegian football player in the Russian Championship. Since 2006 - vice-captain of the team. Since 2007 - team captain. In the 2005 championship he received 12 yellow cards in 28 matches. At the end of January 2008, he was loaned to English Wigan Athletic. After the end of the loan, Hagen did not return to Zenit, but moved to his former club Valerenga, from which he transferred to Zenit in 2004.

In August 2011 he moved to the Evnaker club. In his debut game for the club, he was sent off from the field, receiving a red card for rough play. In September, Eric's twin brother Rune became his teammate.

Fan of Italian football. He has been a fan of Milan since childhood. Favorite player - Franco Baresi.

Married, has a daughter, Marte.

His twin brother Rune Hagen is also a professional footballer who played for the Norwegian Olympic team.

Achievements

• Norwegian Cup winner: 2002
• Silver medalist at the Norwegian Championship: 2004