Tomas Amaral, recently appointed as Spartak Moscow’s sports director, spoke with the club’s press service about a practical shift in squad management. He emphasized a crowded first team as a hurdle to developing young talent and maintaining a balanced roster for competition across domestic and European duties.
Amaral pointed out that the current size of the main squad makes it difficult to give rising players meaningful chances. He articulated a clear goal: trim the number of players in the first team so that younger prospects can join the fold without being crowded out. He suggested that a squad of around 24 to 25 players would be more efficient—enough depth for rotation and injuries, yet small enough to keep opportunities open for emerging talent.
The Portuguese specialist’s last role was with Benfica Lisbon, and the transition to Spartak marks a new chapter in his career. Before taking on the sports director duties, Amaral primarily served as an observer for the club, bringing fresh scouting perspectives to the Russian side.
Under the leadership of Guillermo Abascal, Spartak Moscow has shown solid performance in the Russian Premier League’s first half, sitting fifth with 30 points earned over 18 rounds. They trailed the league leaders by eight points from Krasnodar and Zenit Saint Petersburg, while maintaining a six-point cushion over the current St. Petersburg champions. This positioning reflects a team in the middle of a competitive table, aiming to convert potential into consistent results over the second half of the season.
Earlier in the season, there was notable talk from Artem Dzyuba regarding the conditions under which journalists could resume coverage, highlighting ongoing conversations around media relations amid the club’s broader strategic moves. The dynamic at Spartak continues to evolve as leadership shapes both on-pitch strategies and off-pield communications, signaling a period of adjustment and growth for a club with a storied history.