Alexander Tarkhanov, who has managed several clubs in Russia’s top flight, echoed the fans’ view that Igor Akinfeev stood out as CSKA Moscow’s best player in the 2022/23 season. Tarkhanov emphasized that Akinfeev’s leadership and consistent handling of unclaimed balls helped the defense grow more confident, matching fans’ high regard for his performances across the campaign.
The veteran goalkeeper anchored the club’s effort, earning praise alongside teammates Ivan Oblyakov and Fedor Chalov, who Tarkhanov believes deservedly joined the season’s top trio. His comments reflect a broader consensus among analysts about the season’s standout performers for CSKA.
CSKA’s triumph in the Russian Cup came on June 11, when the team faced Krasnodar in the Super Final. After a 1–1 draw in regular time, CSKA prevailed in the penalty shootout, 6–5, to lift the trophy for the first time in a decade. Akinfeev’s heroics in the shootout were pivotal; he saved three penalties, though his first save was invalidated by a rule violation, a moment that still underscored his endurance and experience in crucial moments.
Akinfeev’s relationship with CSKA began in the academy, and over a long career he has accumulated 740 appearances for the club. He has kept goal on 309 occasions, a testament to his reliability and longevity. Across his tenure with CSKA, he has helped the team win six Russian championships, claim seven Russian Cups, and lift the UEFA Cup in the 2004/05 season, marking him as a key figure in the club’s history.
Vyacheslav Chanov, a former CSKA Moscow goalkeeper, echoed a similar sentiment by naming Akinfeev as the team’s best player in the previous season. Chanov’s perspective aligns with the broader view held by many fans and pundits who recognize Akinfeev as a defining force for CSKA in recent years. (Source: Euro-Football.Ru)