Former Spartak general manager Yuri Pervak believes the club’s decision to sign Guillermo Abascal to a long-term deal was a misstep by the red and white leadership. He suggested that the extension created a heavy penalty that the club is currently paying, and he spoke about the situation with Match TV as the outlet reporting his remarks. Pervak emphasized that the core issue, in his view, lies in the length of the contract and the financial implications that followed, with little else that could be labeled as a contributing factor beyond that pivotal choice.
According to Pervak, the root problem was the decision to lock Abascal into a lengthy agreement when the terms were first extended. He pointed to the substantial penalties attached to the contract as a primary reason for any ongoing friction between the club’s demands and the manager’s performance. Pervak did not identify other reasons for concern, underscoring the contract itself as the main obstacle to smoother operations on the bench.
Abascal assumed control of Spartak ahead of the 2022-2023 campaign and subsequently negotiated a salary increase as the season progressed. Under his stewardship, the team showed signs of improvement, finishing third in the Russian Championship during the most recent completed season. The rise in performance was noted by supporters, even as broader assessments of the club’s strategy continued to divide opinion among fans and pundits alike.
In the 13th round of the Russian Premier League, held on October 28, Spartak faced Fakel Voronezh and suffered a 0-2 defeat. Ruslan Magal converted from the penalty spot, and Maxim Maximov added a second goal, sealing the win for Fakel. The match also saw Moscow defender Srdjan Babic receive a red card in the 70th minute, leaving Spartak to finish with ten men. The loss marked the fifth defeat of the season for Spartak, a setback that left the team on 20 points after 13 rounds and sharing fourth place with Lokomotiv as the league schedule pressed on into the calendar months ahead.
Earlier, a different voice in the club’s ecosystem, Bystrov, had described a Spartak forward as being effectively sidelined. The remark added to the tenor of ongoing debates about form, fitness, and the broader strategic direction ahead of the team as they navigated a demanding schedule and looked toward recovery in the standings.