Moscow’s Spartak has decided not to lodge a formal complaint with the expert evaluation commission of the Russian Football Union (ESK RFU) over the officiating in the 18th round of the Russian Premier League. The choice was announced by Dmitry Zelenov, who leads the press service for the capital club. He stated that, in their view, the error in question was clear enough that the matter would be reviewed by the judiciary, and that a remedy would be sought through proper channels if such an opportunity presents itself. This stance was reported by Championship.com.
In the closing minutes of the match, a ball touched by Spartak’s Alexander Sobolev was not counted by the referee, a decision that influenced the final result of the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw. The contentious moment became a focal point in discussions about refereeing for that fixture, with Spartak supporters and analysts weighing the impact on the team’s standing and momentum for the remainder of the season.
During the same contest, Ural’s Rai Vloot converted a penalty and teammate Eric Bikfalvi added another goal to secure two points from the draw. The outcome left Spartak’s run near the top of the table intact, while Ural remained in tenth place as the campaign moved forward. The standings after this match had Spartak perched in second place with 37 points, maintaining their position in the campaign’s upper tier and keeping pressure on the leaders.
Earlier in the season, a notable coaching chronology featured Eteri Tutberidze, who had trained under Adelia Petrosyan before taking on a leadership role following the short program results at a major Russian Grand Prix. This sidebar highlights the broad spectrum of talent and leadership shaping Russian figure skating in parallel with the ongoing football season, illustrating how coaching legacies can intersect with the broader sports culture in the country.