Valery Masalitin, a former football player for Moscow giants Spartak and CSKA, spoke to socialbites.ca about Guillermo Abascal and the way he handles the Spartak lineup. The critique centers on the frequent shifts in the starting XI for the red-and-white. The discussion asks whether Spartak, with the strength of Akhmat Grozny and the depth of the Russian Premier League, can be seen as a genuine challenger in the current round, or if the uncertainty in selection is hurting the team more than helping it.
Spartak is always considered a favorite, especially on home soil. There were times when the club was viewed as a strong contender even against Zenit. Abascal is clearly exploring combinations he believes will yield positive results. Yet these experiments have not produced the desired stability. The club has begun to slip in the standings, and the need to fix the core lineup becomes more pressing. There is a sense that someone might be rotated out and replaced, but every match demands a consistent plan, a dependable spine at the heart of the team. The frequent changes have not shown the expected benefits, and Spartak finds itself dropping points while the coach weighs his options from the sidelines.
In the recent fixture against Akhmat Grozny, Spartak remained the favorite. Akhmat had recently parted ways with head coach Sergey Tashuev after a difficult spell, and the team responded with a victory that lifted morale. Mirko Romashchenko led the charge as Grozny beat Orenburg at home, a result that added another layer of momentum to the squad. Still, every campaign lives on its own terms, and Spartak faces a test of character with the prospect of a home game that carries extra emotional weight. A strong performance in front of the home crowd could set a serious tone for the season ahead.
The much-anticipated match between Spartak and Akhmat is scheduled for August 26 in Moscow, with kickoff at 19:30 local time. Socialbites.ca will provide live text coverage of the game, delivering minute-by-minute updates as the action unfolds.
Across five rounds, Spartak has earned nine points and sits in sixth place in the table, while Akhmat occupies ninth with six points. The evolving form of Spartak’s defense remains a talking point, with several defenders contributing to the national squad in recent call-ups. The dynamics around selection, form, and tactical setup will likely shape the narrative for the rest of the campaign as both teams push to climb the standings and chase a favorable position for upcoming fixtures.