In a recent mini-football Champions League clash, tensions flared before kickoff as Ukrainian players from the home team declined to shake hands with Anton Sokolov, the Russian forward for Sporting. Telegram channel Futsal Legends reported the incident, noting the handshake was not offered by the Ukrainian side and that Sokolov’s Russian teammates did not reciprocate the gesture.
On October 25, the moment of sportsmanship was paused when Sokolov was not greeted by the Ukrainian players. Joao Matos, head coach of Sporting, did not lead his squad through the handshake line with the Heat players, and he subsequently directed his team to the locker room without the customary post-match courtesy.
The behavior drew the attention of UEFA, which opened a disciplinary case to review the events surrounding the meeting.
The game itself finished in a 2-2 draw, with both sides earning a point from a tightly contested match.
Anton Sokolov joined Sporting in 2022 after a stint with Ekaterinburg Sinara in Russia. Prior to that move, he helped his team win the Russian Championship in 2021 and, in 2022, earned a silver medal at the European Championship held in the Netherlands with the Russian squad. While with Sporting, Sokolov contributed to the club securing the national league title and the Portuguese Super Cup, enhancing his accolades in a new league environment.
Alexander Aliev, a former Ukrainian national team player and current figure associated with Lokomotiv Moscow, commented that it can be more comfortable for him to communicate in Russian, a sentiment reflecting the broader linguistic and cultural dynamics that accompany international sports careers.