Moscow’s Spartak and its supporters face a challenging road ahead in the upcoming Russian Premier League season, according to seismic shifts observed in the latest draw analyses. In a candid assessment shared with RB Sports, Andrey Kanchelskis, a former star of the Russian national team and Manchester United, expresses a sober view of Spartak’s prospects. He suggests that the club’s championship dreams are inflated by media narratives and pre-season optimism rather than grounded in the current setup and resources available to compete with the league’s top tier.
Championship ambitions, he notes, tend to swell before the ball is kicked. Some fans anticipate a summer surge that would propel Spartak to the title, painting a scenario where the red-and-whites crown the championship. In reality, Kanchelskis argues, the squad is not equipped to challenge Zenit Saint Petersburg for the top spot right at the outset of the campaign. The real picture, he says, shows a gap in resources and depth that would be hard to bridge against a well-oiled title contender like Zenit.
In the context of the 2022/23 season, Spartak finished with 54 points, trailing Zenit, who collected 70 points, and CSKA Moscow with 58 points, securing a third place overall. This record underscores the challenge of overtaking the leading forces in the division and highlights the need for strategic strengthening if the club hopes to climb the table in the new cycle.
The disappointment extended to cup competitions as well. The team failed to defend the Russian Cup title won in the 2021/22 season, exiting the tournament earlier than many expected. Under the guidance of Guillermo Abascal, Spartak’s players were eliminated by Akron Togliatti with a 1:2 defeat in the second stage of the Path of Regions semi-finals. The setback added to the sense that a rebuild or a fresh tactical approach might be necessary to restore silverware ambitions and galvanize the fanbase for a tougher season ahead.
Speculation about potential signings has continued to heat up, with FV Players, an agency known for previously representing Tottenham defender Davinson Sánchez, signaling that Spartak is exploring options in the transfer market. Such interest signals a broader strategy at the club, aimed at filling gaps in depth, elevating competition for places, and adding experience to the squad as the season progresses. Agency involvement often foreshadows moves that could alter the balance of power in domestic fixtures and could impact how the team negotiates contracts and player development.