Former Spartak footballer Evgeny Bushmanov shared his opinion on the outcome of the championship race in the WORLD Russian Premier League (RPL).

Zenit scored 57 points at the end of the Russian Championship and took first place in the table. “Krasnodar” with 56 points is in second place, and “Dynamo”, losing to the “bulls” in additional indicators, won bronze medals.

— How do you assess the outcome of the championship?

– It turned out to be unexpected. And in general, this has not happened for a long time when three clubs were vying for first place, and everything was decided in the last round.

— Did Dynamo lose to Krasnodar because they chose defensive tactics?

— “Dynamo” didn’t have enough for the last round. The team was not ready to win first place.

– Why?

— The championship is a long distance. It cannot be won by chance. The team must be ready to win it at a distance. This season Dynamo was not ready for this. There was too much pressure on the players. I don’t think the Blue and Whites came out to play defensive football against Krasnodar. It’s just that the psychological pressure on the guys didn’t allow them to play the way they know how.

— Did Zenit deservedly become the champion or is it an element of luck?

— It is clear that there was also an element of luck, but it is impossible to win over a long distance by chance. This means he deserves it more than anyone else.

— What will you remember about the current Zenit?

— Compared to previous years, it was not stable, and this was surprising. When he had a four-point advantage in the spring, everyone already thought that the St. Petersburg team were champions, and suddenly they began to stumble and lose points in several matches in a row. It was unexpected.

— Will Zenit’s hegemony end soon?

“I hope that there will be such a struggle as this season next year. They write that Krasnodar can change a lot and some leaders will leave. But I think that Dynamo will be the main contender in the fight against Zenit. I hope other clubs will follow suit. This season it became clear that Zenit is not at all invincible and can be fought for first place.

“But the St. Petersburg team will certainly take into account their mistakes this season.

– Of course, they will take it into account, but the competitors also saw that there is a chance, we just need to start fighting from the first rounds. In any case, Dynamo should be praised and thanked for managing to create intrigue before the last round. I’m sure the team will continue to progress,” Euro-Futbol.Ru quotes Bushmanov as saying.