Former Spartak Moscow coach Raul Riancho offered his perspective on Torpedo’s boss Josep Clotet, whose conduct toward the official Pavel Shadykhanov drew attention during a recent match analysis aired by Match TV. Riancho’s remarks were framed around the broader issue of conduct on the field and the expectations placed on managers to model restraint in moments of tension.
It is a fact that Clotet was sent off during the halftime interval after a heated exchange with the referee. Subsequent coverage by Match TV quoted observers who described the incident as an exchange where the Torpedo coach allegedly labeled the referee a clown. Those words circulated across broadcasts and social discussions, prompting debate about the limits of critique inside football’s competitive arena.
Riancho publicly stated that he does not know Clotet personally, nor does he claim familiarity with the coach’s career path or past behavior. Nevertheless, he underscored a universal principle in football: insults are not part of the sport that should go unpenalized. The sentiment he shared was blunt and simple — respect for opponents, respect for referees, and accountability for actions that cross lines, especially when they involve officials who enforce the rules on match day.
Turning to the on-field result, in the 23rd round of the Russian Premier League Spartak Moscow secured a 2-1 victory against Torpedo, the match played in the capital. Keita Balde and Roman Zobnin found the net for Spartak, while Ilya Stefanovich was the lone scorer for Torpedo, a reminder of the tension that often accompanies clashes between these teams and the pressure on both sides to maintain discipline amid the stakes of league standings.
The head referee, Pavel Shadykhanov, presided over a game marked by several penalties in the match’s earlier stages. Three penalties were awarded to Spartak, with only one converted — Zobnin’s shot finding the target. Balde struck the crossbar, and Ruslan Litvinov’s attempt was saved by Torpedo’s goalkeeper Egor Baburin, a sequence that underscored how fine margins can decide a close contest and how the referee’s decisions can influence the feel of the game as much as the players’ performances do.