Alexander Zhukov, the Honorary President of the Russian Olympic Committee, has commented that Moscow Spartak continues to deliver a game that is difficult to understand. His remarks were cited by Match TV.
Spartak keeps producing performances that are hard to parse. In the clash with Ural, the pattern remained puzzling. The reactions around coach Abaskal were sharp and mixed, leaving observers unsure whether the decisions on the pitch came from missteps or from a deeper strategic gap. The sense among fans and pundits is that the team is not maximizing its potential, and there is a growing conversation about leadership and clarity in approach.
Zhukov argued that a coaching change would have been wiser in the off-season, allowing a new mentor to lay a solid plan and implement it from the outset. With the current season advancing, he suggested that waiting to switch now risks wasting the rest of the campaign. The comment underscores a broader belief that timing matters when it comes to revamping a squad so it can compete at the level expected from a club of Spartak’s stature.
On March 31, Spartak played to a 0-0 draw with Ural.
Following 21 rounds in the Russian Premier League, the red-whites sit sixth in the table with 32 points. Zenit continues to lead the standings. In this round, Krylya Sovetov and Krasnodar each secured a draw, leaving the blue-and-white team occupying second place after a 1-1 result with Lokomotiv. Dinamo remains in the top tier conversation, though their hopes were tempered by a 1-4 loss to Rostov, a result that affected the upper-third composition of the league’s table.
Earlier criticisms framed Abaskal as a figure of controversy among supporters, sometimes described as an arrogant manipulator by some observers in the discourse surrounding Spartak. The conversation around his leadership highlights a divide in how fans interpret tactical decisions, team selection, and the overall direction of the club’s development this season.