“I don’t think that Spartak will play with Loko according to the result, because their philosophy has changed” – Kechinov

It will not be easy for Spartak in the second leg with Lokomotiv in the FONBET Cup of Russia, ex-striker of the Red-Whites Valery Kechinov told RB Sport.

– It won’t be easy for Spartak in the second match. We saw that in the first game “Loko appeared as a very serious team, much stronger than last year under a different coach. Dzyuba strengthened, Pinyaev strengthened, Smolnikov also gave Lokomotiv confidence with his experience. But my favorite, of course, is Spartak – after all, the team’s game has already been set, and the team understands and knows what it wants to achieve results with.

— Does Abascal need to change anything compared to the first match? Maybe release Promes from the first minutes?

– Promes is not ready yet – if physically he can be well prepared, then he definitely got out of the game rhythm and tone. We all saw very well that when he came out, the team lost a bit in motion. He did not get into the game, as, by the way, other legionnaires. Apart from Tavares, who left a very good impression. Light, fast, in defense in order, he joined the attacks with pleasure, which is what Abascal requires from defenders. So, I think it will be the same lineup as in the first game, where there were 11 Russian players, which was very nice to see.

– Spartak has a minimal advantage after the first match. Can there be any hint in the second leg that the team will defend this handicap?

– Don’t think. I repeat, the team has its own style, its own pattern of play, it is attacking. And I don’t think that Spartak will play according to the result, because the red-whites have changed their philosophy. They come out first in every game and try to play on the attack, I would like to see this all the time, I think it will be the same in the upcoming match.

In the first match of the ¼ finals of the RPL FONBET Cup of Russia, the Red-Whites defeated the railwaymen with a score of 1:0. The return game is scheduled for February 27.

The return match of the FONBET Cup of Russia Spartak – Lokomotiv will be shown live on the Match TV channel on Monday, February 27, starting at 19:00 Moscow time. Watch live broadcasts of RPL and Russian Cup matches on the Match TV federal channel and the thematic channels of the holding, as well as on matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru websites.