The former Soviet Union national team player and Moscow Spartak veteran Evgeny Lovchev used his Telegram channel to criticize Guillermo Abascal for bringing defender Alexis Duarte into the squad. Lovchev questioned the decision, arguing that Duarte does not seem to align with the club’s current championship objectives and that the move smacks of personal promotion rather than footballing merit.
Lovchev stated that Abascal’s affection for Duarte rests on a private logic, suggesting the player should come under the coach’s umbrella and earn his place through development within the team. The critique went further, asserting that if Spartak’s stated season goal is to win gold and lift trophies, then players who are not clearly contributing to that objective should not be in the starting lineup. The question Lovchev posed was blunt: who made the decision to acquire the defender, and does Duarte genuinely fit the squad’s championship plans? He implied that the acquisition appeared misaligned with the club’s current strategic needs and the level of competition in the league.
During the 14-week stay in the Russian Premier League, Spartak accumulated 21 points and shared sixth position with Lokomotiv. In the most recent round, the two clubs faced each other and settled for a 1–1 draw. The first half ended with Spartak playing with ten men after Khlusevich was sent off. In the upcoming fixture, Guillermo Abascal’s side is scheduled to meet Rostov. Duarte contributed to 13 appearances but did not score any goals during this period, a statistic Lovchev saw as another indicator pointing toward a mismatch with the team’s needs on the field.
Observers have noted that the club has faced ongoing debates about squad balance, tactical flexibility, and the way new signings integrate with long-standing players. The Duarte situation has intensified the discussion around how Spartak should structure its roster to compete for top honors in what remains a highly competitive season. Critics argue that every recruitment should clearly reinforce the team’s strategic plan and contribute to securing points in crucial matches, while supporters of the move emphasize the importance of depth and defensive versatility in a demanding league schedule. The contrasting viewpoints reflect broader debates within the club about player development paths, allocation of playing time, and the preferred profile of defenders in Abascal’s system.