PCR testing, injury to Ozdoev and the return of Golovin: how the Russian national team prepares for the start of the World Cup qualification

"Even vaccinated guys and trainers are not exempt from testing."

The Russian national football team is completing a short-term training camp in Sochi ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifying matches with Malta, Slovenia and Slovakia.

On Monday, Stanislav Cherchesov's wards will hold their last training session at the Metreveli stadium and fly to Malta.

On Sunday, all players and members of the coaching staff underwent PCR testing.

This is a mandatory requirement of UEFA prior to official meetings.

However, the team's doctor Eduard Bezuglov stressed that many players have already been ill and have a high level of antibodies, and some members of the national team have been vaccinated.

“We don't see big problems here.

The UEFA rules have not changed since December, which is why even vaccinated children and coaches are not exempt from PCR testing.

But there are no people insured against false positive tests.

It happens that it is during the recheck that the tests go into "negative".

For example, last time Anton Zabolotny, who was already sick, and Daniil Lesovoy with Alexander Erokhin came to us in Turkey, but the match in Moldova was missed, ”the RFU official website quoted Bezuglov as saying.

The doctor also spoke about the state of health of Magomed Ozdoev.

In the last two days, the Zenit midfielder had to train according to the individual program due to muscle damage.

But, according to the expert, the footballer will be able to take part in the next matches.

“Magomed came to the national team with little problems.

After the examination, we decided to conduct an additional examination.

Revealed a slight muscle damage, they decided to leave him at the location of the national team so that he undergoes a course of rehabilitation treatment.

But we are in a positive mood, Magomed himself, too, we believe that he will spend the coming days according to an individual schedule, ”added Bezuglov.

But another key midfielder of the Russian national team, Roman Zobnin, as you know, will not take part in the upcoming qualifying matches of the 2022 World Cup.

According to the team's doctor, after the results of the MRI, it became clear that the muscle injury would not allow the player to enter the field.

“We saw the data on the study, unfortunately, they left no doubt that the nature of the injury would not allow Roman to help us at this training camp.

Therefore, there was no point in pulling him out of Moscow to Sochi just to be convinced of what he saw on the MRI, ”Bezuglov explained.

But Alexander Golovin will still be able to play with Slovenia in Sochi on March 27, although on Friday Monaco announced that they would not let the Russian go to the game.

The fact is that the French Ligue 1 has established a rule according to which players who have played outside the EU will be forced to undergo quarantine upon returning to the country.

However, on Saturday, the RFU managed to come to an agreement with the Monegasques.

This was confirmed by the midfielder's agent Oleg Artyomov.

“Sasha is ready to play with Slovenia, he is flying to Sochi.

I don’t know how the RFU was able to come to an agreement with the French federation and FIFA.

We did everything ourselves, ”Artyomov is quoted as saying by“ Championship ”.

"Some people think that it is enough to come, take a picture in the uniform of the national team and leave"

Meanwhile, the national team in Sochi is working with almost its full complement.

On Saturday, the players who had played their matches in the RPL (Yuri Dyupin, Ilya Samoshnikov, Reziuan Mirzov, Anton Zabolotny), as well as the young midfielder of Lokomotiv Maxim Mukhin, arrived at her location.

Only Andrey Lunev from Zenit will fly to Malta immediately.

Legionnaires Alexei Miranchuk, Fedor Kudryashov and Alexander Zhirov will also go there without arriving in Russia.

The newcomers of the national team, of whom there were many in the national team this time, managed to share their impressions with journalists.

For example, 19-year-old Mukhin admitted to cooking with his girlfriend when the call came in.

“Our club doctor called me, he works in the national team, he handed the phone over to Stanislav Cherchesov.

The coach asked if I had any business.

I replied that I wanted to go home.

Stanislav Salamovich told me to cancel everything.

Said he was waiting for me.

Buckwheat with meat was cooked with the girl.

Nothing burnt.

I cooked it and finished it calmly, ”the midfielder said.

In turn, 23-year-old Samoshnikov noted that senior comrades have not yet given him advice.

“Of course, it's more comfortable with Dupin.

It seems to me that this will allow you to quickly find a common language with the guys.

Cherchesov's requirements are more or less clear.

In terms of movement, they are somewhat different from those adopted in the club.

So far, no one has given any advice.

By action: I will watch.

I would like to talk to the guys, get used to them, and only then fly somewhere, ”the defender said.

Dupin, who received his first call to the national team at the age of 33, reacted to the incident calmly.

Yuri stressed that he expects to gain a foothold in the team, as well as gain experience from colleagues.

“I did not discuss his emotions with Mukha.

I communicate with Samokha closer, the sensations are about the same, but I feel better.

My age is higher.

Emotions are strong.

This is a childhood dream.

You need to calm down, feel at home in order to work productively and be useful.

Some people think that it is enough to come, take a picture in the uniform of the national team and leave.

But not me.

I would like to get more tips from Antokha Shunin, Gintaras Stauche, gain experience, become stronger, receive a challenge more often.

Dziuba's penalty?

Yes, after the match with Zenit, they were teasing each other here.

Yesterday he shot me, took revenge, "- said the goalkeeper.

Mirzov, representing the main opening of the current season of RPL Khimki, unlike the above players, was not called to the national team for the first time.

However, the midfielder has not yet had a chance to play at least one match in its composition.

“It's always nice to be back.

Here is a cool team, a good team that sets new tasks - to qualify for the World Championship.

Only positive emotions.

Everything is decided by the coaching staff.

Whatever is required of me, I will do.

Many teams now play both on counterattacks and in positioning.

Let's see how things go.

Denis Glushakov wished good luck, ”the footballer noted.

Finally, Ilya Kutepov's invitation to some extent came as a surprise, because in Spartak the defender has practically no playing practice in a profile position. 

“I would not say that I had a special status in the Russian national team.

Everything changes quickly in football - yesterday the main one, today the reserve one.

Team atmosphere?

It's always comfortable when a lot of guys from the same club gather.

I do not know the names of the players of the Malta national team.

Tonight we begin to specifically study and analyze the opponent, ”said Kutepov.