Andrey Solomatin, a former defender for CSKA and the Russian national team, voiced a sharp critique of how referees interpreted contact inside the Zenit penalty area and in the rival blue-white-blue box. His assessment centered on the consistency of decisions and the way ruling angles were perceived by players who felt themselves fouled or denied a legitimate penalty.
The former Roma coach recalled a training session from his career in the Medialiga when Levnikov, then a representative of the RFU refereeing department, visited the squad for a refereeing seminar. Solomatin described the encounter as revealing two distinct approaches: one instance appeared deliberate, while another seemed unintentional. He emphasized the importance of understanding where the official is looking from the players’ viewpoint to determine whether a foul merits a call for a penalty. The point was not to brand every whistle but to cultivate a shared sense of fairness and clearer interpretation on the field.
Solomatin went on to express frustration with recurring narratives during Zenit matches, noting how actions taken against their team were framed as purposeful or decisive, while similar situations involving the opponents were sometimes labeled as routine. He argued that such selective framing undermines the flow of the game and feeds a perception of bias. In his view, the broader league standings reflected the imbalance in how decisions were presented and perceived by fans and analysts alike. The sentiment was captured during a conversation broadcast by Match TV, where the coach’s remarks were repeatedly highlighted as part of a broader commentary on officiating consistency during the season.
On May 7 in Saint Petersburg, Zenit clinched the Russian championship title for the fifth consecutive time by defeating the team from Moscow. The victory featured goals from Claudinho, Andrey Mostovoy, and Ivan Sergeev, who broke through the opponent’s defenses to seal the win. For the visiting side, Keita Balde and Quincy Promes contributed from the penalty spot, adding to the tension of a tightly contested match. The result not only crowned Zenit champions for a fifth year in a row but also reinforced the perception of their domestic dominance following a demanding season.
Looking back at the season’s arc, the head of the RFU refereeing department, Pavel Kamantsev, and referee Vitaly Meshkov met with Guillermo Abascal, his technical team, and the general manager of the losing squad, Evgeny Melezhikov, to discuss the officiating landscape and potential improvements. The meeting underscored the ongoing dialogue between referees and clubs, a process aimed at enhancing transparency and consistency in decisions that shape critical moments of matches throughout the campaign.
Additionally, Igor Diveev, a former representative of CSKA, offered his perspective on the perceived inconsistencies in the officiating that affected the performance of his teammate. Diveev described observable patterns in game flow and argued that certain calls influenced the rhythm and accuracy of the players’ actions. His comments contributed to a broader conversation about the role of refereeing in the competitive balance of top-tier Russian football, and how teams adapt their strategies in response to the expectations set by officials on the field.