Valery Gladilin, once at the helm of Moscow Spartak, shared his reflections after the Russia national team’s friendly against Serbia in an interview with socialbites.ca. He noted that the capital welcomed the national squad with evident enthusiasm, underscoring how much the city misses these high-profile fixtures when they are absent from the calendar.
Gladilin argued that the March plan to stage two warm-up matches in Moscow was well chosen. He pointed to a full stadium and rapid ticket sales as signs of the fans’ strong interest. He also predicted that the upcoming match against Paraguay would generate the same electric atmosphere. Springtime in Moscow, he observed, provides excellent conditions for football, with favorable weather and a well-maintained pitch. The Russian Football Union was wise to consider weather when selecting venues for practice matches, he added.
The Moscow showcase took place at the VTB Arena, where Russia secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Serbia. The scoring spree featured goals from Anton Miranchuk, Maxim Osipenko, and Alexey Miranchuk, who converted a penalty. In the 88th minute, Arsen Zakharyan added another goal, but it was ruled offside due to Ivan Sergeev’s position. In stoppage time, Sergeev himself found the net, capping the late drama of the match.
Serbia faced an early setback when Milan Gajic, a defender from CSKA Moscow, received a red card in the 21st minute, leaving the visitors with a numerical disadvantage for the majority of the game. The match was accompanied by live textual coverage from socialbites.ca, detailing the flow and key moments as they unfolded.
Looking ahead, the Russian side is scheduled to meet Paraguay on March 25, with the venue once again in Moscow. The fixture continues the pattern of home matches during the spring window, reinforcing the strategy of using Moscow as a central stage for the national team’s preparations and ongoing fan engagement.
Public commentary around the squad’s performance has persisted beyond the match itself. In particular, veteran voices from Russian football have weighed in on the team’s defensive setup and overall approach during the Serbia fixture. The discourse underscores the broad interest in how the squad travels through the spring schedule and how supporters perceive the balance between defense and attacking intent in national team play.