Vladimir Gabulov, the former general director of Khimki football club, weighed in on the club’s exit from the Russian Premier League (RPL) and what it means for the Moscow region side moving forward.
When evaluated without emotion, the outcome appeared predictable. Gabulov suggested that the season was undermined by questionable decisions that accumulated over time, ultimately pushing Khimki toward relegation. The comments came through Sport Express, reflecting a perspective that the club’s fate was sealed by strategic missteps rather than a single failure of matches or players.
Following a decisive 4-0 victory by Pari Nizhny Novgorod over Sochi in the 28th round of the Russian Championship, Khimki’s chances of retaining a place in the RPL diminished to zero in mathematical terms. The result highlighted how, even with several rounds still to play, the balance of points and position left Khimki with little room for maneuver as the season neared its end.
As the standings stood after 28 rounds, Khimki found itself positioned second from bottom in 15th place with 18 points. With just two weeks remaining in the 2022/2023 campaign, the team trailed Nizhny Novgorod by eight points, a gap that proved insurmountable given the schedule and form across the league. The practical implications were clear: Khimki faced a drop from the top tier that would reshape the club’s objectives for the following season.
Alongside Khimki, other shifts were noted as the league began to confirm the final composition for the next campaign. Torpedo Moscow, also hovering near the bottom, collected 13 points and secured the last-place finish. Meanwhile, Baltika Kaliningrad and Rubin Kazan were set to move up from the First Division to the RPL, signaling a reshaped competitive landscape and new challenges for clubs across Russia’s top flight.
Earlier discussions had highlighted changes in Khimki’s coaching staff, with Andrey Talalaev becoming the first coach to oversee a club that experienced movement through multiple stages of the top division within a relatively short period. This historic coaching transition underscored the broader volatility that can accompany relegation battles, affecting preparation, player selection, and long-term planning for the club and its supporters.