The defeat of Zenit from Akhmat was the most unexpected event of the 16th round of the WORLD RPL. The loss of points caused a flurry of indignation not only among the club’s fans – it seems that the St. Petersburg residents themselves can not cope with emotions after a failure.

The team’s defender Dmitry Chistyakov got into the scandalous story because of Saturday’s loss. Immediately after the game, the head coach of the “blue-white-blue” Sergei Semak publicly accused the player of the second missed goal, and then the general director of the club drove over the player. The specialists heard a rumor about Chistyakov’s desire to leave Petersburg – and he was immediately severely punished.

Did he deserve it?

Rumors about “Akhmat”

Chistyakov really played the weakest match against Akhmat. The 28-year-old defender first brought a goal, then almost earned a penalty for the opponents, and as a result was replaced already in the 32nd minute. Even the usually restrained Semak was indignant at such a game of a football player, who later stated that the blame for the second goal conceded from Grozny was entirely on Chistyakov.

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Moreover, after the match, the well-known Russian commentator Gennady Orlov launched information according to which Chistyakov was dissatisfied with his playing practice and could soon leave Zenit, and even to Akhmat. It would seem that it was just an ordinary rumor… But the reaction that followed from the general director of the St. Petersburg club was bewildering.

– Although, according to the old football postulate, it is not individual players who lose, but the team, but with such a game and with such an attitude, maybe it’s really better for Dmitry to play for Akhmat. Moreover, I want to draw attention to the fact that publicly, even if not by yourself, but through an agent, expressing dissatisfaction with your playing time and your role in the team is unacceptable. And it won’t go through any gates. But the morning is wiser than the evening.

Tomorrow there will be a serious conversation, and not only with Chistyakov. As for Chistyakov’s transition to Akhmat, you know perfectly well how and when transitions take place. But I can’t rule out such a transfer,” Alexander Medvedev said in an interview with Match TV.

Soon, Medvedev confirmed that a “super-serious, principled, masculine conversation” had taken place with Dmitry, and Chistyakov was completely removed from the main team. And this is after one mistake! Very strict…

Chistyakov’s problems

The defender of the Petersburgers really lost his place at the base of the team very sharply. If last season Dmitry was in the top 3 of the club in terms of minutes played, then in the current championship he started only in the 1st round match. The game with Akhmat was the second for the player at the start. In this campaign, he regularly played from the first minutes only in the group stage of the Russian Cup. Yes, recently Chistyakov stated that he was concerned about the lack of playing time, but he did it as politely as possible:

— Of course, I would like to play more and get my minutes. I started the season as a main player, then I had a sore throat. There is a lot of healthy competition in Zenith. The guys used their chance, – Chistyakov told RB Sport.

Dmitry Chistyakov / Photo: © NurPhoto / Contributor / NurPhoto / Gettyimages.ru

Moreover, Dmitry’s agent did not make any statements from which one could understand that the defender wants to leave Zenit. And the specialist did not allow himself harsh statements about the club, choosing, on the contrary, a respectful tone:

— Dima is a professional. And he treats the situation accordingly. In training, he proves, then let the coach decide who to put. [О возможной аренде] no one talked to anyone, – Andrey Talaev told RB.

Most likely, the St. Petersburg club knows more about this situation, but so far the situation looks a little strange, and the punishment of the player seems inconsistent with his fault. Perhaps, during the winter transfer window, Chistyakov’s position at Zenit will finally become clear.