Spartak Moscow has big problems not only with results, but also with the atmosphere within the team. Head coach Guillermo Abascal rudely expressed his complaints to the Russian national team player and his best forward in recent years, Alexander Sobolev.

It looks like the conflict is very serious. And how it will all end is completely unclear.

Reasons for the scandal

The Red-Whites, to put it mildly, have not shown decent results in their recent matches in the championship and Russian Cup. In Samara, Abaskal’s team was disgraced and was defeated by Krylia Sovetov with a score of 0:4. Then there was another disaster: in the National Cup in a match with Dynamo. In the derby with CSKA, Spartak miraculously escaped defeat in the last minute, which allowed the Spanish coach to save his job. At least for a while.

Moreover, a break for national team matches happened just in time, where a number of Spartak players, including Sobolev, went. This is where the fun begins. According to Match TV, Alexander had a loud conflict with Abaskal. The Spaniard, in a rude and insulting manner, expressed dissatisfaction with the forward with his behavior, as a result of which the Russian football player was suspended from working with the team.

One of Match TV’s interlocutors said that the football player skipped team breakfasts, for which he had not previously received warnings from the coach. Another source said that the matter was precisely a verbal altercation at one of the training sessions, when Sobolev emotionally responded to Abascal’s claims. After this dialogue, the Spaniard decided to remove him.

Photo: © Mikhail Zimin / Match TV

Spartak tried to refute it, but it turned out badly

The Spartak press service made a statement, after which the situation did not become any clearer. The club noted that they would not comment in any way on the actions taken by the coaching staff in relation to anyone. At the same time, it was confirmed that Sobolev returned from the national team to the team’s location on Wednesday and took part in recovery training.

That is, in fact, Spartak did not refute the information about the conflict. Obviously, the club could not say everything as it is; the red-whites definitely do not need unnecessary scandals in the situation in which Spartak is in terms of the tournament position. Abaskal himself is one step away from being fired, so he doesn’t need any fuss in the press.

But it seems that everything has already burst out. Earlier, journalist Ivan Karpov reported that Sobolev was suspended from training due to a violation of discipline immediately after the defeat in Samara from “Wings”. Let us remember that in that meeting Alexander received a yellow card, due to which he missed the derby with CSKA. Between these two matches there was also a Cup game with Dynamo, but there the striker was not even included in the squad.

Photo: © Denis Bushkovsky / Match TV

“One of them has to go”

In any case, there is a conflict, and Spartak will have to resolve it somehow. But we are talking about one of the undisputed leaders of the club. Sobolev this season is not as productive as in previous ones, but his contribution to the team game is undeniable. It’s simply stupid to argue with this. Red-White legend Andrei Tikhonov had the same thoughts.

— I don’t think it will be good for Spartak if Sobolev is not in the lineup. Abascal has a constant roster rotation, the coach is in search, he hasn’t found what he wants. I think he needed to find the right words, to talk to the player. We need to talk with the players, find common ground so that they produce results. Perhaps the coach was offended by Sobolev for his absenteeism. Yes, he has the right to be suspended. But if a football player fails to come to a mandatory event three times, then you need to talk to him,” Match TV quotes Tikhonov.

— It’s a little unclear why Abaskal invites Sobolev to have breakfast or dinner with him. Sobolev may prefer to have breakfast or dinner with his wife, and he naturally refuses another man. On the one hand, the football player can be understood, but on the other, if we speak a little more seriously, Bolivar cannot stand two and someone must leave Spartak. Either it will be Sobolev or Abaskal, because the conflict has gone too far. Someone has to go. Apparently, they won’t be able to work together any longer,” commentator Dmitry Guberniev added fire.

Among other things, Sobolev recently got into another unpleasant story, which indirectly speaks of the psychological stress in which the forward is. Alexander was “banned” from the computer game Counter-Strike 2 during a stream. Sobolev was the most successful player on his team and repeatedly said that he “pulls” everyone on himself. At one point, he tried to communicate with his teammates in English and tell them his tactics. However, they still ran in the other direction, which infuriated the football player. After this, Sobolev started shooting them in the back and was kicked out of the game.

It is still completely unclear what will happen next. The club will definitely not be able to remain silent for long. Much will be clear this Sunday, when Spartak plays with Paris NN. If Sobolev is not in the lineup here, then the team risks plunging into uncontrollable chaos.

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