The goalkeeper for Tractor hockey, Emil Garipov, commented on Rubin Kazan’s results in the final season of the Russian Football Championship. He admitted that the experience took a toll, noting how the last penalty stung and that the team had endured a long absence from this level. He recalled Rubin Kazan had not dropped to the second tier for 19 years and wondered who among the coaching staff would take the challenge in the Fearless National League. Garipov suggested Kurban Berdyev as a strong option, praising him as a capable coach.
On May 21, Rubin Kazan lost 1-2 at home to Ufa in the season’s closing match of the Russian Premier League. Vitaly Lisakovich, Vladislav Kamilov and Dylan Ortiz provided the goals for Ufa, underscoring Rubin’s difficult end to the campaign.
As a result, Leonid Slutsky’s Rubin finished 15th and was relegated directly to the National Football League. There was a possibility that the decision could be revisited if a moratorium on relegation and a league expansion were approved. This marked Rubin Kazan as a club from Kazakhstan’s capital city that had last played in the FNL almost two decades ago, a historical wrinkle for a team with a long-standing presence in Russian top flight football.
Additionally, Rubin Kazan exited from both the Conference League and the national Cup, further tightening the season’s disappointing outcomes. The club’s setback in continental and domestic cup competitions added to the sense of upheaval around the team as it prepared for a return to the second tier.
Speculation about the club’s leadership continued, including questions about Slutsky’s future and the direction Rubin would take in the FNL. The discussions extended to potential strategic moves, including staff changes and the selection of a coaching approach that could stabilize the squad and reestablish competitiveness in the months ahead.
In the broader context, analysts and fans weighed the implications of relegation for Rubin Kazan’s development model, recruitment strategy, and youth integration. With historical expectations of a club that has spent many seasons in Russia’s top division, the transition to the FNL prompted dialogue about how Rubin would rebuild its roster, adjust its budget, and navigate the competitive landscape of the second tier. The season’s end highlighted a need for recalibrated planning, focused on steady results, player development, and a clear vision for returning to the top flight in future cycles.