Former Spartak Moscow president Andrei Chervichenko criticized head coach Guillermo Abascal for leveling accusations at the Russian national team’s technical staff, sharing his views with Match TV. He argued that Karpin was not lying and that Litvinov’s friendly against Qatar carried no real significance since it was not an official qualifier. In Chervichenko’s view, any athlete who recognizes that a task remains unfinished will push for changes, but Abascal is essentially floundering and struggling to explain Spartak’s recent poor performances.
Chervichenko suggested that Abascal is trying to shift from a problematic situation to a more stable one, a common tactic in Russian sports discourse. He doubted that Karpin could be such a fan of Litvinov that he would overlook a poor performance, calling such a notion nonsense. The dissenting voice adds that Spartak officials often point fingers at others while avoiding accountability themselves, a habit going back fifteen years when even the bus was blamed for defeats. Such blame games, Chervichenko implied, are a way to preserve a certain style rather than address underlying issues.
Abascal defended his decision regarding Litvinov before the eighth round match of the Russian Premier League against Sochi, explaining that the player had an injury known beforehand and discussed with the national team, yet still played the full 90 minutes. This explanation aimed to justify why Litvinov appeared in the national team lineup despite an injury history.
Vladimir Khaitin, the senior doctor for the Russian national team, later stated that the federation had not received any requests or recommendations from Spartak about Litvinov. Abascal denied the doctor’s remarks, insisting that club guidance had not been provided. Earlier, Karpin had accepted that Abascal did not have information about Litvinov’s injury, reflecting ongoing tension and conflicting narratives within Russian football circles.
The dialogue underscores a broader pattern in which management and coaching staff clash over player availability and responsibility for team outcomes. Across Russian football, questions linger about how injuries are managed, who bears responsibility for squad selection, and how publicly these disagreements should be aired. As teams juggle national team duties with domestic league demands, clear communication and consistent medical approvals become critical to maintaining trust among players, clubs, and the national program. In this climate, stakeholders seek transparency and a shared understanding of injury status, rehabilitation progress, and squad rotation plans. The discourse also highlights the sensitive nature of public criticism, where statements from former players or officials can influence public perception and add pressure to current coaches and medical staff. The interplay between club interests and national team obligations remains a central theme in Russian football, shaping future decisions about player selection, medical responsibility, and leadership transitions. Media coverage continues to track how these dynamics unfold, with analysts weighing the merits of each side and fans debating the best path forward for both Spartak and the national squad. Attribution: Match TV, along with ongoing coverage from sports commentators, shapes the narrative around these developments.