Artem Dzyuba, the striker currently with Lokomotiv Moscow, offered clear commentary on the performance level of Russian football referees during a briefing with Rubin Kazan’s former head coach. He described the standard of officiating in the domestic game as normal and well within expectations for top-level professional football. In his view, the referees around the league carry out their responsibilities with consistency, and when a team faces elimination, he believes the fault line rarely points to officiating rather than the broader on-field performance of the participants. This stance, reported by Sport Express, reflects a pragmatic approach to refereeing that emphasizes accountability for players and teams while acknowledging the referees’ professionalism.
The veteran forward’s recent career trajectory has been marked by a return to the Russian league landscape after a spell abroad. Dzyuba departed Zenit St. Petersburg at the conclusion of the previous season and subsequently joined the Turkish side Adana Demirspor. After several months spent in a different footballing culture, he terminated that contract and, in February, re-entered Russian football with Lokomotiv Moscow as a free agent. His decision to rejoin Lokomotiv proved timely, as he secured a new extension with the club that will keep him in their colors through 2024, demonstrating the club’s continued faith in his abilities and his value to their attacking plans.
Since resuming his duties in the Russian Premier League, Dzyuba has been prolific in front of goal and contribute consistently to Lokomotiv’s offensive output. In ten appearances, he has accumulated eight goals and five assists, underscoring his adaptability and his knack for making decisive contributions in key moments. His scoring prowess has placed him at the forefront of Lokomotiv’s attack, reinforcing the team’s ambitions to contend for top positions in the league and to push deep into domestic cup competitions. The quick transition back to domestic football appears to suit him, as he has quickly found his rhythm and reestablished himself as one of the league’s most reliable attacking options.
Lokomotiv Moscow’s status within the Russian football pyramid has been shaped by leadership and strategic decisions in recent seasons. While Rubin Kazan had its own volatile spell, the broader context of Russian football has seen coaches and clubs navigate transitions with varying degrees of success. Slutsky, a coach with a storied background that includes time at CSKA Moscow, Vitesse, Rubin Kazan, and the Russian national team, led Rubin during a period of intense competition. Although Rubin experienced relegation from the Premier League for the 2021/22 season, the club persisted, and in November 2022, Slutsky stepped away from the Kazan bench. The subsequent 2022/23 campaign brought a reversal of fortunes for Rubin, as the club clinched the First Division title and earned promotion back to the Premier League, illustrating how clubs can rebound through strong leadership, development pathways, and resilience in the face of setbacks.
The public conversation around these figures often features light-hearted moments as well, as evidenced by a recent interaction involving Dzyuba and Slutsky. The two figures, both well known in Russian football circles, joked about candid video content, a reminder that the sport, despite its high stakes and intense competition, also hosts camaraderie and relatable human moments among its top players and coaches. This interaction adds a human dimension to the ongoing professional narratives and highlights the culture of openness that can arise in modern football discussions, where personalities connect beyond the tactical and statistical dimensions of the game.