On November 10, the Russian national football team will play the penultimate match of the group stage of the 2022 World Cup with Cyprus.
On the eve of the meeting, midfielder Rifat Zhemaletdinov left the team's location.
Together with defender Georgy Dzhikia, he missed training on Tuesday.
According to the senior doctor of the national team Vladimir Khaitin, the Lokomotiv midfielder arrived in St. Petersburg with a shin injury.
“After an additional comprehensive examination, muscle damage was identified and a decision was made not to risk the player's health.
In agreement with the medical headquarters of the railway workers, Zhemaletdinov was sent for further treatment to the location of the club, ”the specialist said in an interview with the RFU press service.
At the same time, the coaching staff did not call someone else.
As Valery Karpin explained at the pre-match press conference, initially more players were invited to the training camp than a month earlier.
“We already had a bitter experience in October, when we invited 21 field and had to constantly call additional athletes.
Therefore, now they initially made a list of 25 people, suggesting that perhaps someone will not make it.
Now we have 23 field ones.
This is more than enough, ”the mentor said.
According to the specialist, the remaining players, including Jikia, are in good condition and are ready to help the team in the next meetings.
“Georgy will train today along with everyone else and I think he will be ready to play tomorrow.
The rest also received test results.
I can't say that everything is great.
Some have more fatigue, some less.
But that was understandable and true.
The same Jikia spent the largest number of minutes on the field since the beginning of the season, so there is accumulated fatigue.
But no catastrophe happened to anyone, ”said Karpin.
Speaking about the opponents, the head coach noted the weak play of Cyprus at the set in the last match, and also suggested that the guests will act according to the 5-4-1 scheme.
“I will not reveal any secret.
Teams that are not considered “big” on paper are usually good at defending.
Cyprus has been playing for so long, it will be hard to attack against so many defensive players, to find space.
The opponent, in turn, will try to act on counterattacks, although in the last match with Malta they acted more combinationally.
We left defense through a short pass.
If we talk about weak points, in the match with Malta there were problems in the standards, ”Karpin said.
Another difficulty of the game with Cyprus is that eight players of the Russian national team at once "hung" on yellow cards.
If they receive a warning on Thursday, they will miss the decisive encounter with Croatia.
As the head coach explained, this is also why more players were initially called up to the team in order to have options for replacement.
“You can't remove everyone.
We have four defensive midfielders on the cards.
Someone has to play.
There is certainly a risk.
But it seems to me that it is not worth saving someone in the match with Cyprus due to the presence of warnings, ”the coach said.
Talking about the readiness of the stadium in St. Petersburg for the meeting, Karpin admitted that the team is holding the first training session in the arena, and also asked the fans to come to the stands and support the national team.
“We didn’t have time to get to know the field yet, although we spent two days in St. Petersburg.
They took care of the lawn and prepared for the match.
After the press conference, we'll see what state he is in, how he breathes under the roof.
As for the fans, of course, I would like to see a full stadium.
But there are limitations.
Therefore, tomorrow we ask all those who are not indifferent to help us as much as possible, to support the national team at the stadium - those who can, of course.
We will be grateful, ”said the specialist.
Journalists also asked Karpin again about the forward Artem Dziuba, who had not been called to the national team.
“I have put an end to it.
As you wish.
You can ask further, ”the coach emphasized.
Midfielder Alexander Golovin was also present at the press conference.
All those present were primarily interested in the state of the Monaco midfielder, who had recently recovered from an injury.
“I think I'm definitely ready to play for 90 minutes.
After the damage, I have already held three meetings.
It is clear that they are incomplete.
However, I am in good condition now.
I do not know if I will be the captain, but I am ready, like anyone else in our team.
This is only a positive moment, ”the Russian noted.