CSKA Moscow’s Brazilian defender Willian Rocha offered insights into how the army club might push for success in the Russian Premier League while tamping down expectations about declaring a title winner this early in the season. His reflections lay out a clear path as reported by Sports Express.
Rocha emphasized that the making of a champion hinges on the players’ quality and their inner drive. He stressed the need to approach every match with total focus, unwavering dedication, and a hunger to win. Those elements, he argued, are essential for CSKA to pursue its core objective: securing the Russian Championship gold. He added that the team must simply perform its duties and progress from game to game rather than getting ahead of the process.
During this campaign Rocha has appeared in 15 Russian Premier League fixtures for CSKA, collecting six cautions and a single sending off. His presence in the squad has been an important component of the club’s attempts to stabilize and push upward in the standings as the season unfolds.
Rocha joined CSKA Moscow on September 1, 2022, with a contract extending through the end of the 2024/25 campaign and featuring an option to extend for another year. His arrival was part of CSKA’s broader effort to strengthen the squad and build depth for both league competition and domestic cups.
The defender made his competitive debut for CSKA in the Russian Premier League shortly after signing, lining up against Krasnodar. He marked his first CSKA goal in the national cup when he scored against Ural Yekaterinburg on September 14, and followed up with his first league goal on October 8, 2023, in the capital derby versus Dynamo. These early contributions helped establish him as a growing threat going forward for the club.
As the first half of the RPL season concluded, CSKA sat seventh in the standings with 28 points, a position that reflects a squad capable of climbing but still needing consistent results to climb toward the top of the table. Rocha’s experiences in the league to date inform his belief that progress comes from steady performance rather than dramatic surges, a philosophy that resonates with CSKA’s broader tactical approach.
In earlier comments Rocha described the team’s determination using a vivid metaphor about fighting for every resource, underscoring a mentality of discipline and resilience that coaches and teammates have been trying to cultivate. The ongoing focus remains on building cohesion, maintaining fitness, and executing game plans that maximize the club’s chances across all competitions. This approach aligns with CSKA’s evident ambition for a high finish in the league and a deep run in cup competitions as the season progresses.