[

Former Russian national team player Dmitry Bulykin believes that Turin midfielder Alexei Miranchuk and Monaco midfielder Alexander Golovin will not be able to join the national squad due to lingering injuries. These remarks were cited by Vprognoze.ru.

“I see no surprise here. Both players compete at the highest level, facing intense workloads in their leagues. They may be carrying old injuries that require time to heal. If Alexander and Alexei cannot deliver 100 percent for the national team, there is little point in summoning them. It is likely that they are dealing with some wounds,” Bulykin explained, emphasizing practicality over bravado.

Remarkably, Miranchuk and Golovin did not feature for Russia in 2022. During that period, head coach Valery Karpin experimented with a fresh generation, frequently reshuffling the roster to test new talent and adapt to the evolving squad dynamics.

In spring 2022, football governance bodies made a sweeping move that reshaped the landscape for Russia. The International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) decided to exclude the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from participation in their competitions, a sanction that halted many traditional paths for the team to compete on the world stage.

Former Soviet Union national team goalkeeper Anzor Kavazashvili, known for his long association with Spartak, voiced criticism of Karpin’s decision to bring Miranchuk and Golovin back into the fold. Kavazashvili argued that the timing and rationale for calling the players should be weighed against the broader implications for the team’s development and cohesion in a period of transition.