Forward Alexander Sobolev and defender Georgy Dzhikia emerged as Spartak’s least performing field players in the winter training camp, based on a ranking of physical readiness. This assessment was reported by journalist Ivan Karpov in his article and circulated via a Telegram channel.
What stood out was their unfavorable ratio of muscle mass to body fat, a metric coaches monitor closely during pre-season conditioning. Interestingly, the note added that goalkeepers from all three teams registered lower figures in this specific comparison, which is often expected given the demands of the position.
Karpov also highlighted that Sobolev faced a similar issue in the past, missing a week of practice for medical reasons. In the 19th round of the Russian Premier League, St. Petersburg faced Zenit to a goalless draw, a stalemate attributed in part to the absence of Quincy Promes, which affected the visiting side’s offensive options.
Spartak, for its part, rejected the notion that its players were struggling with physical metrics. The club’s press service emphasized that the balance between muscle and fat mass remains within normal ranges for the squad, noting that fluctuations are a natural part of athletic conditioning. They added that if any player showed sustained deviations, participation in training and matches would be reconsidered.
A former national team coach later named a leading contender for relegation from the RPL, framing the season’s critical pressures in broader terms of team fitness, depth, and consistency. The assessment underscores how performance metrics, training load, and strategic decisions intersect during a demanding stretch of the campaign, influencing both competitive results and managerial choices.