CSKA midfielder Konstantin Kuchaev believes that Mario Fernandez left CSKA, as it became more difficult for him to physically perform the amount of work that he did before.

Fernandez has suspended his career at the end of the 2021/22 season. The agent of the ex-player of the Russian national team Jorge Machado later said that the player would like to take a break until at least 2023.

– What are your emotions after Mario’s departure?

– There were no strong ones, – Kuchaev told Sport 24. – It’s a pity, of course, that Mario left, but at the same time you understand how much he gave to the club and the national team. Even when I went on loan, it was clear: Mario is hard to give such a volume of work compared to the time when he was younger.

Are you talking about last season?

– Probably two. Despite the fact that the level of Mario remained, he could still play on it. But, probably, he was already tired much more than before. CSKA had a lot in store for Mario.

Fernandez moved to CSKA in 2012, he played 329 matches for the team, scored 11 goals and made 47 assists. The 31-year-old defender became the champion of Russia three times as part of CSKA, won the country’s Super Cup three times and the Russian Cup once.