In un'annata nerissima and to forget as soon as possible, Russian football takes off a little satisfaction, returning after an eternity in the main draw of the Champions League. CSKA Moscow, in fact, leaves a real curse that lasted for the 2004/05 season and becomes the first Russian team to pass the group stage for five years now. Five years in which the Russian formations have been imposed with a certain authority in Europe, bringing home two UEFA Cups, but failing - often in a sensational or last breath - the second qualifying stage of the most important European competition for clubs that seemed affordable but vanished for a moment. In this regard it is curious that this small company to do it was CSKA di gran lunga più debole degli ultimi anni, nettamente inferiore a quello che con Valery Gazzaev per ben tre volte non riuscì a superare la Fase a Gironi, divenuta un'ossessione per il Presidente Evgeny Giner e per tutti i sostenitori dei 'Kony'. Una squadra con molte meno carte da giocare rispetto a compagini che negli ultimi anni hanno deluso le aspettative in quella che alcuni chiamano "l'Europa che conta", come il già citato CSKA che tra il 2004 ed il 2007 gettò al vento qualificazioni che parevano essere alla portata, come la Lokomotiv Mosca di Yuri Semin che venne fatta fuori nel terzo turno preliminare dal modesto Rapid Vienna nella stagione 2005/06, come lo Spartak Mosca delle occasione perse targato Fedotov nel 2006/07 e come naturalmente Advocaat's Zenit St Petersburg, on paper the team should have done more road. A qualification obtained
undoubtedly suffered in particular, but that rewards the value of some individuals above the average that made a difference in CSKA as Igor Akinfeev (best goalkeeper in the world in the last three months), Milos Krasic (such as performance , perhaps second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in the current first phase of CL) and Alan Dzagoev. Usually, in a team sport like football, it would be wrong to make distinctions of this kind, but in training as CSKA, a team that did not make the difference - positive - they made it to indeed these three individuals. Others have done - some more and some less - the other, it is rather useful when you need it, but the absolute protagonists of this qualification, however, came largely thanks to a Manchester United sportsmanship for which the praise would be wasted, were those three, now sought after by half of Europe but will remain in the Russian capital until at least June.
Armejtsy The season, which in early 2009 seemed to be able to split the world, with Zhirkov, Vagner Love, Krasic Dzagoev who came from a 2008 monster, with the stalwart and Maazou Necid who had departed with the air right, with Daniel Carvalho and revived with young emerging Schennikov. The promising start turned out to infamous a flash in the pan, with the team that broke with the passage of time, going to get worse. By Zico and Juande Ramos from English to Slutskiy. The appointment of the young former coach of FC Krylya Sovetov Samara and Moscow seemed to be the definitive step toward a sad and inevitable downsizing. Instead, from the landing of Mr. Leonid on the bench of the 'Soldiers', only one defeat came against His Majesty to Russia, Rubin Kazan, a draw would probably be that a victory in the temple of Old Trafford and then only victories. And wins. Slutskiy at once canceled a protest of the violent fans, restoring dignity to the 'Kony' demolishing Spartak Moscow and graduate Rubin Champion of Russia in a day by end of the Russian Championship. He returned to the trust that their children had lost during the mismanagement of foreign and Zico Ramos, becoming only reach to 90 '+2 in Manchester after leading by three goals to a team on the field more regularly in Europe in recent seasons. After gaining self-esteem and dignity, here comes the much-awaited victory, those who have allowed the CSKA for the first time since 1992/93 to pass the group stage. Earlier this year, with Akinfeev and comrades in the second band and a team with some elements worthy of a top club, he was confident and it was thought that the Red Army was time to pass the taboos of the group. The second band ensured a draw for most affordable usual. The summer started badly even in terms of results, with the usual slap Rubin trimmed to between RPL and Cup of Russia, would mark the complete involution. The team gave the impression of being unable to follow Zico, not at all accustomed to the Russian mentality. A society unable to strengthen the staff where needed and that more would lose players like Zhirkov and Vagner Love did the rest. The draw gave a little hope, as Wolfsburg and Besiktas teams seemed affordable. Affordable But for the real CSKA, not the increasingly convoluted, distracted, careless and lacking in character that gave the warmest welcome to autumn in the history of Russia. A hot autumn for rossoblù increasingly ridiculed and far off the pace at home, sometimes embarrassing early exit in the Champions League, as demonstrated by the avoidable defeats against Wolfsburg leg already seemed high and not against a listless Manchester and played in slow motion at the Luzhniki. The blackest page, took his coat from FC Moscow in the Championship, an impressive Ramos never feel at ease to say enough. And 'the turning point. Comes to general amazement Leonid Slutskiy. It looks like the classic move of desperation (and probably is) a society in economic crisis and corporate, who lost enamel and authority. From then on, however, comes only a defeat and the first away win in Champions after five years, the one that applies to the next round CSKA. A next round, however deserved, sacrosanct and entitled to a team that I always wand to attitude, lack of malice and lucidity. I always asked the CSKA evidence that would deliver them from the many sins committed between Wolfsburg and Manchester via Moscow. The second round by Slutskiy everything was exciting, almost like a big European football. Seven points were nearly nine race reassembled with grit and prowess and won another awkwardly after UEFA had informed only a few hours after the match that two defenders holders (Alexey Berezutskiy and Sergey Ignashevich) were suspended for irregularities in the doping control carried out at the end of the challenge held in England a month ago (serious ingenuity on the part of Russian doctors). A
CSKA, however, that from here in February, partly to avoid nasty figures, must inevitably grow. The confirmation is now virtually certain of the few remaining big shadow of the Kremlin is the first step to better face a historic event still. Then the leadership, contestabilissima for the way they move in recent times, will definitely put hands in their pockets to try to remedy in the two departments in which the 'soldiers' need more than a reinforcement: in defense and midfield. If the full-backs will be added probably the only Kirill Nababkin (already signed by FC Moscow pupillo di lunga data di Slutskiy), al centro non si può continuare ad andare avanti con i gemelli Berezutskiy e con Ignashevich, vero cancro di questa squadra. Così come è inamissibile avere uno scarpone che milita nel massimo torneo russo solo per grazia ricevuta come Grigorjev come prima riserva. A centrocampo i vari Aldonin, Mamaev e Semberas (non cito volontariamente Rahimic perchè ormai ha una certa età e la mobilità in campo - mai eccelsa - è quella di un bradipo) non sono giocatori da buttare via, ma per fare il definitivo salto di qualità serve qualcosa in più. Serve quel regista che si abbassi a ricevere il pallone per poi distribuirlo, quel playmaker del quale il CSKA necessiterebbe da parecchio tempo, da quella famosa Lisbon final, to be precise.
