Leonid Fedun, the owner of Moscow’s Spartak, underscored the unique standing of the red-and-white club and Krasnodar within Russian football. He noted that Spartak often stands apart, likening the situation to a white crow, while also highlighting that Krasnodar operates without direct or indirect reliance on public budget funding.
For Spartak, every self-generated revenue stream eases the burden on shareholders, as the club funds its activities from its own resources. Fedun stressed that these funds are finite, especially in the current climate, and emphasized the importance of sustainable earnings in maintaining the team’s autonomy. These remarks came during a video discussion on the Spartacus YouTube channel.
In the most recent season of the Russian Premier League, Spartak finished in tenth place. Zenit St. Petersburg clinched the Russian championship, earning the league title for the fourth consecutive time. Sochi and Dynamo Moscow also secured berths in the top three, reflecting a competitive season across Russia’s top flight.
Spartak captured the Russian Cup with a 2–1 victory over Dynamo Moscow in the final, marking the club’s fourth Cup triumph in its history (1994, 1998, 2003, 2022) and their first since 2003. This win added a prestigious domestic trophy to the club’s legacy and provided a bright note amid a challenging league campaign. [citation: Russian Football Federation records, 2022–23 season summary]
Furthermore, Spartak finished atop their Europa League group, signaling strong performance in European competition. However, their progress to the knockout rounds was halted by sanctions imposed by FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which prevented them from advancing to the playoff stage. [citation: UEFA disciplinary decisions, 2023]
Earlier remarks by Leonid Fedun attributed the club’s points loss in the previous RPL season to refereeing controversies, with the owner indicating that Spartak was docked 13 points due to disputed decisions. The figure was cited as part of a broader discussion about officiating and its impact on the club’s standings. [citation: RPL match reports, 2022–23 season]