Fedor Chalov, the CSKA Moscow forward who spent the latter half of the previous season on loan at Basel in Switzerland, contrasted the levels of the Russian Premier League and the Swiss championship. The experience, he noted, offered valuable perspective on how the two leagues approach the game and what it takes to compete at a higher level. Sport-Express covered the comments.
Chalov emphasized that every player should gain time playing in Europe. He described the environment as intense and instructive, a place where football feels clearer and more direct, with a focus on attacking play and quick decision making. The experience, he added, broadened his understanding of the game and helped him grow as a player both technically and tactically.
During the previous season, Chalov appeared in 16 Russian Premier League matches for CSKA, contributing three goals and two assists. His journey with the Moscow club began in the youth ranks, with the team taking him on in 2006. After rising through the academy, he broke into the first team in the 2018/19 season, finishing as the league’s top scorer with 15 goals and earning wide recognition for his finishing ability and instinct in the box.
His stint with Basel came via a winter transfer window loan, set to run until the season’s end with no option to purchase. In the Swiss Super League, Chalov took part in 16 league fixtures, scoring four goals and adding two assists, contributing to the team’s attacking ambitions when called upon and adapting to a different style of play in a new country.
Chalov also mentioned interest from clubs in Spain and France, signaling that his performances abroad had attracted attention from multiple major European leagues and affirming his ongoing aspiration to test himself against varied competitive standards. The dialogue underscored his ambition to continue advancing in European football and to bring that experience back to CSKA when possible.