Former Moscow footballer and coach Spartak Valery Gladilin recently weighed in on the struggles of the red and white side as they pursued a positive result in the 17th round of the Russian Premier League against Akhmat Grozny. His analysis, shared with Euro-Football.Ru, highlights the team’s hurdles and the tactical realities facing the squad during a tense phase of the campaign.
Akhmat Grozny entered the match with greater urgency and a more favorable mood. Gladilin argued that Spartak’s depth and cohesion were not sufficient to outplay a more driven and mobile opponent on the day. He pointed to a confluence of factors, including the impact of Abascal’s dismissal and an additional reshuffle in the lineup. The former player stressed that predicting the coach’s exact selection remains a difficult task, underscoring the challenges of squad management in high-stakes fixtures.
The final scoreline reflected Akhmat Grozny’s perseverance, as they edged Spartak 2-1. In the 34th minute, a clever pass from Akhmat midfielder Bernard Berisha to Hamid Agalarov opened the scoring, putting the visitors ahead. The match took a dramatic turn when head coach Guillermo Abascal was sent off for pushing Berisha after the goal, ruling him out of the team’s upcoming clash with Krylia Sovetov. As the half drew to a close, Spartak found momentum with a goal from Anton Zinkovsky, followed by Svetoslav Kovachev’s strike at the start of the second period, drawing the score level before Akhmat regained the lead. This sequence illustrated how momentum can swing in a single half, testing both teams’ resolve and tactical adjustments.
After 17 rounds of action, Krasnodar rose to the top of the standings with a 3:1 victory over Orenburg. The defeat for the railway workers knocked Zenit from first to second place, while Krylia Sovetov secured a spot inside the top three. Spartak stood in seventh place, reflecting a season of uneven results and persistent pressure to climb higher. Akhmat’s win lifted them out of the relegation zone and into 13th position, a relief for a club that had navigated a challenging stretch. Baltika slipped to 15th, highlighting how tight the table remains and how critical each point becomes as the season unfolds. The narrative from this round underscored the fine margins that separate teams at both ends of the table and the ongoing battle for consistency across competitions.
In the wake of Akhmat Grozny’s defeat, discussions focused on the lessons learned and the adjustments required for upcoming clashes. The outcome served as a reminder that strategic planning, player availability, and adaptability remain central to success in Russian football, especially as clubs contend with schedule density and the evolving demands of the league. Analysts and fans alike will continue to monitor how Spartak responds to this setback, how Abascal’s absence might influence future selections, and how the squad will address the need for sharper cohesion and sharper execution in possession and transition play.