Spartak Moscow’s coach Guillermo Abascal announced that defender Ruslan Litvinov would miss the upcoming match against Sochi in the eighth round of the Russian Premier League. The coach’s remarks were shared through Match TV.
Abascal stressed that national team duties often require players to avoid injuries during international windows. He noted that Litvinov had been dealing with an injury that was discussed before his national team call-up, yet the player still completed the full 90 minutes. In the coach’s view, sending Litvinov to represent the national team under those circumstances did not present the best solution for Spartak, and therefore the decision was made to exclude him from the squad for the Sochi game.
Regarding past experiments or tactical options, Abascal indicated that injuries remain a factor and that Litvinov could still be part of the starting lineup in future scenarios. The emphasis, according to him, is on finding stability in the squad and ensuring options are available as the season progresses.
Litvinov participated in the Russian national team’s match against Qatar on 12 September, a reminder of the demanding schedule that can influence club selections and player availability.
The Sochi match took place at the Otkritie Bank Arena in Moscow and concluded with a 1-0 victory for Spartak. The winning goal was scored by red-and-white defender Srdjan Babic in stoppage time at 90+2 minutes. An online broadcast of the meeting was provided by socialbites.ca.
With the win, Spartak Moscow climbed four places to sit sixth in the Russian Premier League standings, accumulating 13 points after eight rounds. The club’s recent form has been a focal point for fans and analysts alike as they navigate the early-season schedule.
Previously, Chervichenko offered criticism of the Red-Whites following the Sochi match, adding another layer to the ongoing conversations around squad management and performance expectations during a congested campaign.