Sergei Tarasov: Shipulin looks weaker than last season
Olympic champion Sergei Tarasov summed up the results of the Biathlon World Cup stage, which ended in Holmenkollen.ABOUT THE SHIPULIN FORM
It is clear that Anton is not in shape right now. He can’t keep up the speed, he doesn’t have enough strength to lift - the muscles become sour. It's hard to stay in shape all season. Some experts say that Anton purposefully prepared for the Olympics, and, apparently, the peak of his form came during the Games. But if we look at Shipulin’s performance and his results throughout the season, we will see that he did not have a peak as such. This is my opinion, but I think that Anton looks weaker this season than last season. At his favorite stage in Anterselva, he always tore everyone to shreds. But now, from the stage in Anterselva, it was clear that something wrong was happening with Shipulin this season.
What's the problem here? I'm not on the team, so it's hard to say. It would be better if these were errors in preparation; they can be corrected. But if it’s a matter of physiology, Anton is not getting any younger, his speed is falling every year, then this is already a problem. Let's hope that our leader is just having a bad season. This also happens.
ABOUT MEN'S PERFORMANCE
Articles | Won bronze? Or did you lose silver? Results of the last men's relay of the season
For Tsvetkov, the stage in Holmenkollen turned out to be the best of the season. Maxim looks much better than usual. But it’s still clear that at top speeds at the finish line it’s a little lacking.
I believe that men have an obligation to perform better. We are not able to compete in speed with the leaders. After each race we just count how much we lost in moves. And we are already accustomed to this situation. Therefore, we have all the hope for bad weather, successful shooting, and that the leaders will make a mistake. But we still remember the times when our biathletes, even missing at the line, won the race.
ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF THE WOMEN'S TEAM
We need to be more courageous in including young biathletes in the first team and trusting them to perform at the World Cup stages. For example, Kaisheva was previously allowed to perform at one stage, she took 60th place there, and she was sent back. It’s good that she was taken to Pyeongchang. The experience of competing at the Olympics is equivalent to ten years of competing at the World Cup. Since we were not allowed to take leaders to Korea, we should have sent only young athletes there. Although Kaisheva’s performance at the Olympics was poor, she gained invaluable experience that will be very useful to her.
Elena Vyalbe did just that. She included 35 skiers in the preliminary application. When the leaders were not allowed in, the young people went and created a miracle in Pyeongchang. But the SBR included only 11 people in the application, so there was no room for maneuver.
ABOUT THE NECESSARY STEPS
How can we improve the situation in our women's team? We need to be more courageous in including young athletes in the first team. Now we have a leader - Katya Yurlova. But we should not rest on this; we must strive for better results. If we attract young people, in a year or two they will get stronger and the results will appear.
But we have another problem: we are speeding up the training of young people too much. In adolescence, we squeeze everything out of the boys and girls, we are proud of how strong our juniors are, but they move on to adult sports and cannot show anything. We have been talking about this problem for ten years now, but nothing has changed. And at the same time we are falling further and further behind the leaders of world biathlon. Now it will take a long time to correct the mistakes made by the current leadership of the RRF.
The 37-year-old now works as a coach at the Kuban children's and youth school, and when he was a football player he himself defended the yellow-green colors of the Krasnodar club. He spent the best years of his playing career in Kuban, and also in Tolyatti Lada. In an interview with a correspondent of Nezavisimaya Sports Gazeta, the ex-defender spoke about his life path, the coaches who met at his “football crossroads,” and also shared his plans for the future.
“I was born in Krasnodar, I studied at school No. 35,” Sergei began the conversation. - When I was 7 years old, coach Sergei Aleksandrovich Andreichenko, a famous former Kuban striker, came to our school. He came and invited me to play football in his group at the Kuban stadium. Well, I started going there, to the “elastic band”. First I was coached by Andreichenko paired with Yuri Vladimirovich Kolinko, and then by Eduard Dmitrievich Antonyants.
- What knowledge did you gain from each of them?
When we boys were 7-8 years old, Andreichenko and Kolinko often just threw the ball to us, and we ran after it in a crowd. Probably, we didn’t need anything else at that age stage. Under Antonyants everything was already more serious. He is an educated, decent person who never allowed himself to go to extremes. In principle, I can’t say anything bad about my children’s mentors. There were no such situations that later I remembered: I had such a bad coach...
Was it easy for you to make the transition to professional football?
I would like to note that from the group of my age - there were about 25 people in it - by and large, only me, Evgeny Kaleshin and Alexander Perov started playing. The defining age for a young football player is 14-15 years old. Those who at this stage do not stop there and want to develop, with a successful combination of circumstances, if they “catch a lucky wave,” subsequently become good players. But often at this age guys have other interests, non-football: some have girls, and some like to smoke and drink.
- So you didn’t have such “interests”?
Did not have. I was sick of football. Football came first for me. From home in the morning I went to school, from school to training, from training to home, quickly did my homework and ran into the yard to play football. And if it was cold and slippery outside, then play hockey.
- Did you play hockey right on the street?
Yes, on ice, without skates. In the courtyards of high-rise buildings, on the roads where cars rolled away ice. Later, when I performed at Lada in Tolyatti, they taught me how to skate and ski. I tried myself in all winter sports, well, perhaps, except for biathlon - I didn’t shoot with a rifle (smiles).
- Did playing hockey help you in football?
Certainly! Any outdoor games are useful for football players. I believe that there is no “unipolarity” - if a boy is, as they say, “playful”, then he shows interest in different sports. Previously the situation was different. It’s a big problem now to drive the kids out onto the street, but during my childhood it was quite the opposite - we didn’t sit at home at all. From an early age I ran, jumped, climbed, played Cossacks-Robbers, football, hockey, volleyball... At school I competed in basketball competitions for a team in which the guys were 2 years older than me. And he developed comprehensively. What do we see now? Nowadays, children come to football completely different from the way, for example, I came. They have problems with coordination, they don’t hit the ball...
- You said that you played basketball. It must have been a bit difficult, being 171 centimeters tall?
And my height is actually 181 centimeters. I know that everywhere they write 171, but this is incorrect information, I don’t know why it happened this way. I’ve already told journalists, but it’s useless.
- Did you often go to children’s and youth competitions?
I know that GorONO and Trud had trips abroad. And we had few serious tournaments. And if the team went to normal competitions every 2 years, then, you yourself understand what results it achieved - it took 5-7th places. When you constantly stew in your own juices, playing only with familiar teams, you don’t develop. Where did you go anyway? I remember, to Volgograd, to Kurgan. The rivals there were St. Petersburg's Smena and Vladikavkaz's Alania. - a completely different level.
- How did you study at school?
I was, let’s say, a “good student,” but sometimes I slipped through the “C” grades. My parents taught me: I need to play football and study. And now we, children's coaches, say this to our students and their parents. There is not only one football. Yes, it’s great when you play football all your free time, but you shouldn’t allow a strong imbalance towards sports. Because situations in life are different, and if you don’t know anything other than football, then it will be difficult for you to get a job somewhere. But there is, however, another option - to leave your health in professional sports, but at the same time earn yourself a sufficient amount of money through football.
- In 1996, you signed your first contract with Kuban. You must have been very happy?
At first, of course, it was exciting to be in the main team, but gradually I became more and more accustomed to the new team. The main thing for teenagers and young people is to have psychological stability. You can’t pretend: oh, first team. You need to immediately show what you are capable of - then both partners and coaches will appreciate you, you will quickly join the team and become its full member.
- And you immediately began to show everything you were capable of?
I was a tough defender, acted in an aggressive style, and was mentally stable. By the way, for these qualities, I was later taken to different teams. Already at the age of 18-19, I didn’t care who came out to play against me. I went to the “joints” until the last. Some began to respect me for this, others did not really like this style. I was sometimes criticized, but I didn’t pay much attention to it.
-Where did you get this style from?
My older comrades taught me: the harder you go into the “joint”, the less likely it is to get injured. This stuck in my head and, thank God, I really didn’t get any serious injuries; the menisci don’t count. Nothing was stitched, nothing was cut out, nothing was removed.
- Why is this so: the harder you go into the “joint”, the better?
This is the law. You know, there is a law of meanness, and so it is here. If a little, even in the subconscious, you start to remove your leg, move away from contact, so as not to get injured, you will definitely get it. Therefore, the harder you go into the “joint”, the better. Ligaments, joints, muscles - everything is tense, everything is as a single whole, like iron, and nothing is torn. I don’t take into account bruises, abrasions, scratches - these are all trifles. And you won’t get fractures or sprains if you adhere to this philosophy.
Since we’ve already started discussing your game personally, let’s continue. What positions have you played throughout your career?
Mainly played left or right back. Andrei Poskotin in “Kuban” put me in the place of the extreme midfielder, then I still managed to score. In addition, until he switched to playing in line defense, he acted as a front defender, and at the end of his career in the second division he played in the center of defense. In general, I just didn’t play in the center of midfield, attack or in goal.
- Was it difficult to switch from defense to line play?
I wouldn’t say that it was downright difficult, although maybe that was because I was young then and absorbed the information that was brought to my ears quite well. In “Kuban” they started playing in line defense under Poskotin, under Sinau, and then they walked around with ropes in training. And in Tolyatti, where I ended up, it was all already polished down to the smallest detail.
- Which of the listed positions were you most comfortable playing?
Until the age of 30, while I was strong, it was comfortable to act as a full-back: he performed his functions well, when required, he actively joined the attacks. Well, after turning 30, when I acquired decent experience, it became more comfortable to play in the center of defense: there is less running around there than on the flanks.
- How did you behave outside the field? Didn't you allow yourself too much?
I chose a lifestyle without alcohol, without tobacco - without all these “distractions”. The fact that other athletes drink is, perhaps, normal; everyone relaxes in their own way. I had the following recovery - sleep, sauna, steam bath, massage. I came to this myself and in no way condemn those guys who go to a nightclub. This is their health, their personal life. The most important thing is to be fully mobilized in every training session. Some people don’t drink all their lives and play in the second division, while others drink all their lives and play in the major leagues. Here, you know, to each his own, everything is very individual.
Let's return to Kuban. Your first coach in the main yellow-green team was Vladimir Brazhnikov. Sergei Lysenko in an interview with our newspaper called him “dear father.” Can you call it that?
Sergei Lysenko was a very tough defender, he could bark both in the game and in training. But his partners adequately perceived all his comments and shouts. Yes, I think you can call Sergei “father”, as you said.
- Sorry, I meant that Lysenko called Brazhnikov “dear father”...
Oh, you're talking about Vladimir Alexandrovich. Brazhnikov was a simple man, he did not make “sophisticated speeches.” Under him, I played little; at that time, at times they only pulled me up from the reserve team. Therefore I cannot answer your question.
- After Brazhnikov, Andrei Poskotin was the coach of Kuban. How would you characterize him?
He kept up with modern trends and football trends. For “Kuban” he was an innovator, a revolutionary, if you will, under him they began to act in line in defense. A simple, intelligent man, he explained with his fingers - who, where, where. I learned a lot from Poskotin in terms of positional play.
- And Valery Sinau, they say, brought “his” players with him and began to trust them to the detriment of the local guys.
You know, Sinau was not the only one who did this. Very often, coaches bring with them to new teams those players they can rely on, with whom they went through Crimea, Crimea and copper pipes. And I think there is no point in being offended by this. Personally, I have never had “my own” coach, I have never followed anyone. And Sinau in “Kuban” trusted the young people. He immediately and completely transferred me from the double to the “main clip”. Maybe he saw that I could “shoot”, or maybe he had no other choice but to let the youth play. Perhaps Sinau had some misunderstandings in Kuban with the older guys.
- Yes, they say they didn’t seem to like the fact that the players brought by Sinau received more than they did.
Perhaps that was the case. I was still young then, no one initiated me into such matters.
- Did it happen in that “Kuban” that football players were taken into the forest and beaten, as Sergei Lysenko said?
Thank God, all this has passed me by. At that time, I was quite young, I did not participate in any “machinations and conspiracies,” so there was no demand from me. Well, yes, I remember something like that happened, various people spoke to our leading players in raised voices.
- Representatives of the criminal world?
Maybe yes. After all, it was the dashing 90s. But, I repeat, no one had “such conversations” with me. There must have been all sorts of stories. More precisely than Sergei Lysenko, I won’t tell you about them.
- Would you be afraid if you were in the place of those with whom you spoke in “raised tones”?
You know, speaking in the abstract, this is what my parents taught me, and now I adhere to the principle: the righteous walk with his head held high. If you have nothing to hide, then you will not be afraid of anything. And if you really have, as they say, a big head, then you will shy away from every rustle, from every glance, and you will not sleep peacefully at night. At that time, I walked around and didn’t think about it at all, since I didn’t take part in any “such matters.”
- What was the atmosphere like in Kuban in 1998? I remember the management changed, salaries were not paid.
Yes, the atmosphere was bad. Regardless of whether the leadership changes or not, if the team has poor funding, then undercurrents and pitfalls always begin to appear. When money is paid on time, everyone smiles, laughs and works at their best. When interruptions begin, people begin to look for some way of retreat, and they no longer give their best in training and games.
- Was the bad atmosphere in the team the main reason for Kuban’s relegation to the second division?
Maybe yes. Some people didn't play to their full potential.
- And you too?
No, well, I tried, I gave my best. I was about 20, I played for Kuban in my hometown. My parents came to the stadium to watch me play, and then I didn’t care whether they paid me or not. To be honest, I didn’t think about money at that moment. It’s now that we, children’s and youth coaches, are asking 15-16 year olds, how much money will they pay us? Before, it was a different time, a different upbringing.
- And what do you answer to your students when they ask you this?
I? I just smile, that’s all. It makes me laugh. The guy hits the ball only two times on the third, nothing has been crushed yet, but he is already interested in how much money he will be paid. But we ourselves are to blame for allowing this to happen. It just doesn't happen like that. The agents are to blame, the club managers are to blame for inflating salaries, raises, and bonuses.
Let's go back to the end of the last century. At the beginning of 1999, only goalkeeper Alexander Perov remained in Kuban. Could you stay?
I left due to Kuban’s failure to fulfill the contract. I had a certain amount of allowance prescribed, which was not paid to me. And then Alexander Borisovich Garmashov, the head coach of Tolyatti Lada, appeared on the horizon, and as a result I ended up on his team, in the second division. We were faced with the task of entering the first one, and we solved it in one year.
-Has Kuban paid off its debts to you?
I don’t have any questions left for Kuban. The Dispute Resolution Chamber decided that I could leave, the contract was terminated. And I left either as a free agent, or with a small compensation, I don’t remember exactly.
When Lada entered the first division in 1999, it beat Kuban in transition matches. Remember those meetings?
Naturally! In the first match, in Togliatti, we won 2:1, and in Krasnodar there was a draw - 1:1. When we went out to the pre-match warm-up at the Kuban stadium, some fans began shouting unpleasant things at me and at Vitaly Kaleshin, who was also playing for Lada at the time, which only made me even more excited. And others shouted normally, with humor: they say, Seryozha, you’re ours, you’re one of us, don’t come out to play against us (laughs).
- So you can call those matches against Kuban special for yourself?
Of course, they were accompanied by a double spirit and powerful inner experiences. When you play against your former team, you don’t exactly harbor a grudge, but you try to prove to the former management that they may have made a mistake about you when they didn’t trust you. Failure to fulfill a contract is also, I think, to some extent a form of mistrust. If they wanted him to stay, they would have paid everything they owed. It wasn't such a big amount.
- Let's go back to Togliatti. How does the city itself remain in your memory?
Togliatti is a fairly large city, consisting of two parts. The old city is similar to Krasnodar, it is greener; and the new one houses an automobile plant, wide avenues, and high-rise buildings. In general, I always like new things, it’s interesting. You arrive in an unfamiliar city, you begin to get used to the local customs, customs, dialect - after all, they speak differently there.
- Did you like it in Tolyatti?
I don’t want to say anything bad about this city, especially since I met my soulmate there, who bore me three beautiful children and with whom I am still together and in complete agreement. As for the climate, there is not much sun in Togliatti, the weather is often cloudy, so the people there are a little harsh and not particularly friendly. Everywhere, of course, there are such people, but it seems to me that here in the south, where there is a lot of sun, the people are kinder. I can also call Tolyatti a city of hard workers. Everyone knows the local automobile plant; people work there in 3-4 shifts.
- How did the workers treat the football players? Not with envy?
Some with envy, and some adequately. People look at football players, basketball players, hockey players, see what amounts they receive, and each person evaluates it differently. One begins to envy: they say, he doesn’t do anything special, but they pay him such crazy money; another, on the contrary, says: they have “horse work”, they leave their health on the field; and the third thinks: why do I get pennies? This means I need to find some ways to earn the same amount, but also not leave my health behind in professional sports. Who reacts how depends on upbringing. People are different, we need to treat everyone with understanding.
- Did the plant give gifts to Lada players?
When we solved the problem of reaching the first division in 1999, the players were offered a gift to choose from: a car or money. A pleasant memory: walking through a parking lot where 200 cars are parked and choosing a color and equipment.
- And what did you choose?
At that time, the leading car in the domestic automobile industry was the “ten”. Well, Vitalik Kaleshin and I chose “ten” each. As I remember now, they were the same brick color. They checked us out, we got into them and went to Krasnodar.
- Did Kuban give you any gifts?
No, in “Kuban” they only paid money for solving assigned tasks, there was a bonus system. We did not receive gifts such as cars or apartments from Kuban.
- Why did you return to the Krasnodar club in 2002?
A new coach, Sergei Butenko, came to Lada from Tashkent, brought his guys, whom he counted on, and it turned out that he no longer needed me. Well, I started looking for a new club. And in “Kuban” at that time the policy of returning local guys was being pursued. Well, they brought me back and resolved the issue on this wave. The general director of Kuban at that time was Vladimir Vasilyevich Podobedov, the team was coached in tandem by Vladimir Ivanovich Lagoida and Igor Viktorovich Kaleshin.
- How did they conduct their training?
All exercises, even heavy ones, were built through the ball, through the ball, through the ball. Kaleshin and Lagoida did not offer huge loads when it was necessary to run somewhere without the ball.
- Did you find Nikolai Yuzhanin in “Kuban”?
Yes. The first time we crossed paths was when he was the coach of the Krasnodar Territory national team, I was 16 or 17 years old at that time. And then we worked together a little at Kuban. The southerner focused heavily on the functional state of the team and paid a lot of attention to tactical changes. With him, specific exercises have already begun - for endurance, for the speed-strength component.
- Cooper tests?
Including. By the way, about the Cooper test. In Tolyatti it was a different story with him. Garmashov once said: whoever fails the Cooper test will have to run it every morning. And I just recently recovered from an injury, gained 3 extra kilos, and with cheeks like this (spreads his arms to the sides) I ran for five days in a row, but on the fifth I still passed (smiles).
- Did you like the approach of Kaleshin and Lagoyda or the approach of Yuzhanin more?
Then I was 25 years old, the wind was in my head, I didn’t really want to run. Although, by and large, well, you run this Cooper test and run, you don’t care whether it brings benefit or not. And after 30, you already begin to understand the importance of a sports lifestyle, sports nutrition, and have a different attitude towards training. You realize that you need to go through every day of the training camp efficiently, lay a good foundation, so that later during the season you don’t get injured, don’t miss matches, don’t lose money because of it and can earn the maximum.
- If you combine your two periods in Kuban, what matches do you remember most?
Caucasian trips: Vladikavkaz, Nalchik, Makhachkala - you can’t slack there. In a game against such teams, the higher the mood, the better the result. Caucasian teams are always fighting and stand apart. I know what I’m talking about, I myself played for Dynamo Makhachkala for six months in 2006. Caucasian football is unique.
- Did any incidents occur during these trips?
Yes, every trip to the Caucasus is an incident. Then in Vladikavkaz they throw stones at a bus - we are lying on the floor. There is some kind of, excuse me, commotion on the field, almost a fight. It was such a harsh time then. Now, of course, when the teams have become better, this is no longer allowed.
- Why did you leave Kuban before 2004?
What a situation it turned out to be: a Southerner who didn’t count on me became the coach. Of course, I really wanted to plunge into the atmosphere of big football and try myself in the major leagues, but the coach, as they say, knows better. I still had a year left on my contract with Kuban, and the general director of Kuban, Alexander Moldovanov, told me: look for another club, your price is, if I’m not mistaken, 50 thousand dollars. It seems that I came to an agreement with Valery Ovchinnikov, the coach of Chelyabinsk Lukoil at that time, but he decided to rent me, roughly speaking, for 5 thousand dollars, and not buy me for 50 thousand. I went there, then returned to Krasnodar and wrote a letter of resignation here. Although there was no need to do this.
- Why?
It was necessary to simply inform the leaders of “Kuban”. I wrote a statement, and when I came back to Ovchinnikov, I was injured right before the season, and he refused to take me to Lukoil. And in Krasnodar I wrote a statement. As a result, it turned out that 2004 was a lost year for me. I treated my back for two months, and then played for several months in the championship of Krasnodar and the region for the Dynamo police team. But, at the same time, at that time I was worth a lot of money - 50 thousand dollars. Therefore, you understand, in such conditions it was difficult for me to find a professional team. I finished the year at Dynamo, and then somehow negotiated for Kuban to reduce my cost.
- How did you do this?
And whining and rolling (smiles). He came and asked, said: well, where, well, who will buy me for 50 thousand dollars? First they dropped it to 25, then to 10. Then I found several options in the second league, but they told me that 10 thousand dollars is still a lot, and if we take you, it will only be for free. But the leaders of Kuban didn’t want to give me away for free. This is the “hole” in my biography. It’s a shame that the peak of his career came in the first division and not in the major league.
- Do you harbor a big grudge against Kuban?
You know, as time passed, everything cooled down a long time ago, but then, I admit, I was very offended by the leadership. They wanted to get money for me without giving me any chance to continue my career normally. I played here for the city, roughly speaking, for the bathhouse championship, and, at the same time, they wanted to get some money for me. It’s clear that the presidents of other clubs, even from the second league, when they are looking for newcomers, open the statistics and look: yeah, Shipulin, where did he play last year? In Krasnodar for “Dynamo” for the bathhouse championship - nowhere, that is. Accordingly, who will pay big money for such a player? If it weren’t for this attitude of some people, it seems to me that my career could have turned out a little better. If I had been loaned out normally, I would have continued to play at a high level. Even if in 2004 he played on loan in the first division, then in 2005 he could have signed a full-fledged contract or moved to another, stronger club in the first league. Or he could go to a strong team “for a task” in the second division. And so, there was a gap of more than a year. I lost so much time, and then it was extremely difficult to get out of this swamp.
- How did the saga end?
Once again I came to the Kuban office, went to the then leaders of the club for a reception, I said: so and so, you don’t need me, give me, for God’s sake, a clean transfer. And finally, I heard what I had been waiting for: yes, we don’t need you, okay, no questions, go to the accounting department and get your clean transfer, we will give you an order. So suddenly I got the opportunity to continue my professional career.
- And we went to Shchelkovo “Spartak”.
I contacted some agents and they put me in there. I went there because I had to go somewhere to play professionally. There he was mainly engaged in restoring his former condition and “gaining” his statistics.
- You were trained there by Yuri Bykov, who recently headed the Novokuban “Biologist”?
Right. A peculiar coach, with his own vision of football, which runs counter to the opinions of others. I'll tell you a story now. Bykov was appointed coach, he announces the meeting and says: “I graduated from VST. There are teachers, this, this, this, that, they tell you to do this, this, that. But I, I, decided that there is no need to do this - we will do it this way.”
- Normal turn.
Now, from the point of view of the coach, I understand that he was really mistaken, he approached the training camp incorrectly: we started it with some kind of jerks, with running uphill. And it’s not without reason that we started getting injuries during the season. Although Bykov performed well as a football player, he himself told us how he played in the major league at the age of 30.
- What else do you remember about Shchelkovo?
The team had poor funding, we were not paid for three months, while the club president was running for some kind of deputy. Alexander Krestinin, another football player from Krasnodar, played with me in Shchelkovo, he is now coaching the Kyrgyz national team. So, I remember very well how he and I shared a piece of Maggi broth and one egg in half. Because they didn’t feed us, and there was no money to buy food either. In general, I don’t have very good associations from that time. Just one good memory.
- Which?
We once played a friendly match with Moscow Spartak. Finished 1:1. Vidic, Cavenaghi, Mozart played for the opponent... - it was nice to face such stars.
- After Spartak Shchelkovo, your career included a six-month period at Dynamo Makhachkala.
Yes, Pavel Aleksandrovich Stipidi helped me get there. In Makhachkala, of course, the level was completely different compared to Shchelkovo - everything was so interesting and kept up with the times! We were trained at Dynamo by Leonid Nazarenko, a well-known specialist in Kuban. He had excellent relationships with the football players - as with his own, as with friends, there was no self-exaltation, like, I’m great, I’m a coach - and you are football players. Leonid Vasilyevich knew how to find the right approach to the players: when necessary, he knew how to laugh, when necessary, he knew how to talk seriously.
- What were the conditions like in Makhachkala?
I'll tell you this. When you come there with Kuban, for example, you feel aggression towards you, even impudence. And when you yourself are a player of the Makhachkala team, then there are no problems. In the best traditions of Caucasian hospitality: they greet you, ask what questions you have, where you need a ride, what to show? There were no problems with my teammates either - neither in football matters nor in living conditions. We lived in a Makhachkala hotel and were guarded.
- How were they guarded?
Well, there wasn't much security, it was just that the hotel was a closed area. At that time, the situation in Dagestan was difficult - a terrorist situation. They told us: wear Dynamo (Makhachkala) equipment, and no one will touch you.
- So it was: you walked around in equipment and no one touched you?
Yes, no difficult situations arose. Local youth saw that we were Dynamo (Makhachkala) players, and there were no provocations.
- Your next refuge is Novorossiysk “Chernomorets”.
At the end of 2006, Dynamo Makhachkala was disbanded, the guys fled, and I went, again, through Pavel Stipidi, to Chernomorets. Vladimir Lagoyda personally invited me to Novorossiysk. Besides me, Mikhail Voronov and Alexander Perov joined the team. So, we arrived at Chernomorets, went through all the training camps, everything was fine. But Lagoida was removed very quickly, and a new coach came - Khazret Dyshekov. And a situation arose that we have already talked about - another mentor brought “his” guys to the team and began to rely on them. But we were not his people. As a result, I was the first to be “shrouded”: after a month and a half I was told, they say, you can already go home, we will pay you a salary, there are no questions. That's what I did - I went home and just received my salary. Then, after me, Voronov was sent from Chernomorets, but Sasha Perov turned out to be the most persistent - he stayed there the longest, but still he was “shrouded.” This, unfortunately, happens very often in football.
Yes, I entered Kuban State University, played for its student team at specialized European championships. In Poland they took 7th place, the next year in Turkey - 3rd. I would like to note the attitude of the university rector Mikhail Borisovich Astapov. He is literally a blessing to the team! In addition, he played for Dynamo Krasnodar, Pontos from Vityazevo, and in 2010 he was entered into the KFK for Novokubansk Biologist, who was then coached by Sergei Grigoriev. The financial conditions, of course, were not so great, but they paid every day.
- And how was it working with Grigoriev?
He paid great attention to the functional state of the team. With Grigoriev, I went through all the training camps from start to finish, laid a really serious foundation, and throughout the entire season I didn’t have a single injury. As I told you before, as I got older I began to take all these fees and “compiling” a certain mileage more seriously. But there was no recovery in the team, except for sleep, in addition, I myself had to give injections to the guys, bandage them, apply ointments, but that’s a different story.
- Why separate?
There was no doctor on the team, there was no massage therapist, and since I had all these syringes, tablets, ointments on hand - I had accumulated a decent amount of experience during my football career - I took on these functions (smiles).
- And were you prescribed medications?
No, of course, he didn’t prescribe pills, but he knew what to take for heartburn and inflammation.
- “Biologist” has an exotic stadium in the village of Progress. Did you like it?
Yes. It is located in a lowland, among greenery, so cool. No running tracks, stands close to the field, natural grass. There is a very pleasant atmosphere there, people came to cheer for us.
- A few people.
Yes, a little, but still those who came supported us. I also want to say about Grigoriev that we worked well with him, although perhaps I had misunderstandings with him: I am a veteran, he is a coach. In any case, I soon left Biologist for FC Slavyansky.
- In “Slavyansky”, the head of the district administration, Anatoly Razumeev, first monitored the club, and then abandoned it.
He didn't quit on his own. I have only good memories of Razumeev. I have never seen as much as he did for his team, for the players, in the first league, let alone the second. The attitude at Slavyansky was humane, money was paid on time. Medicine, recovery, vitamins, procedures - everything is on the level. Whatever request you made to Razumeev, he tried to do everything for the football players.
- For example?
There were various situations. My wife had to be admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery, I called the head of the district and asked for help. He immediately organized everything, people holding high positions in the regional medicine system called me, they found out what was going on, they admitted my wife to the hospital, and immediately operated on her. Razumeev is a wonderful person.
FC Slavyansky, I know, held training camps in Cyprus and Turkey. For a Russian second division club to hold training camps abroad, you must agree, this is an extraordinary event.
This once again characterizes Anatoly Razumeev. He doted on his brainchild. But the point is also that the infrastructure abroad is better than in Russia. You are provided with three meals a day, a buffet, bathhouses at your location, a bus brings you to training and takes you back. Administrators don't have headaches at all. And when you come here to Russia: food must be ordered separately, buses must be ordered separately, and it’s hard to find sparring partners. Everything is separate, you have to pay, pay, pay for everything, and, as a rule, Russian fees are more expensive than the same Turkish ones.
Let's talk about Eduard Sarkisov, then the head coach of Slavyansky. After all, you found him still a player in Kuban, right?
Yes, they crossed paths with him in Kuban; he was a defensive midfielder. I always had a good relationship with him. At Slavyansky, of course, I understood that he was a coach and respected the chain of command. I am grateful to Sarkisov for taking me to his team, believing in me, and providing me with good conditions after Novokubanka. Now sometimes I meet with him and say: “Eduard Rachikovich, believe it or not, honestly, in “Slavyansky” he played for you and for Razumeev.” Indeed, he went out and played for them. From the first to the last minute I fought for these people so as not to let them down.
You said that at Slavyansky salaries were paid regularly. This was before Razumeev stopped helping the club, as I understand it?
Yes. I want to say that in the last two months at Slavyansky, when salaries were still being paid, I earned more than in a year and a half at Biologist. And then there was a flood in Krymsk, and Razumeev, since he is an excellent manager, Tkachev sent there to eliminate the consequences of the disaster. As they say, he was made an offer he could not refuse. Razumeev left - and in such situations there are always people who are just waiting for this. Funding immediately ran out. “Slavyansky” owed me 250 thousand rubles. They played for nothing for a whole year, just like that. They wrote to the CDC, the prosecutor's office, and the labor inspectorate - they still didn't pay anything.
- How did you leave the team?
My third child was born, I approached Sarkisov and said: “Rachikovich, so and so, I need to feed my family. I’ll probably go to Krasnodar and try to play there for the tax office, Dynamo or someone else.” He let me go and I left. And then Sarkisov took the core of that team, seven people, with him to the Crimean Vityaz.
- This is where your professional gaming career ended, right?
Right. I returned to Krasnodar and got a job as a children's coach at the Kuban football school. I was given a probationary period of one month. Two weeks passed - the leaders said: that’s it, we’ll take you, we see your desire, your ability to find an approach to children. Well, at the same time, I was still playing for Kurganin “Omega”. Because, you know, the family always needs extra money.
- Was there also a good attitude towards the players from the management at Omega?
Yes, according to this criterion, “Omega” can be compared with “Slavic”. The salaries were small, but the bonuses were double, the attitude was exorbitant. The leaders in Kurganinsk, including Dmitry Karapetyan, did everything to ensure that the team gave their best. That year, 2013, we became champions of the first league of the Krasnodar region.
Can we say that Omega is a phenomenon? A club with a professional approach to business, but playing in the second tier of the amateur championship.
It is possible, and with good reason. It all starts with the head. If the leader is decent and well-mannered, then the team will be honest and playful. If “from above” there is a frivolous, disregardful attitude towards the players, if there is no mutual respect in the club, then there will be no result. Dmitry Karapetyan puts all of himself into the development of Omega. Kurganinsk has a great stadium, a gorgeous field - in my opinion, one of the best in the region. The perfect lawn.
- A couple of “general” questions. What interesting stories do you remember from your gaming career?
Yes, there were a lot of incidents, you can’t even remember now... Something unusual definitely happened on the field trips. I remember one time we gathered at the hotel for dinner and... we were missing two partners. It’s unclear where they are - well, let’s look. They ransacked the entire hotel, raised half the city - it turns out they were “accidentally” closed somewhere, someone joked.
- Do you currently maintain relationships with many ex-partners?
Yes, sure. Alexander Perov, for example, is the godfather of my eldest son. He is a very close person, like a brother to me. I’m calling Dmitry Emelyanov, with whom I played in Tolyatti. We maintain a relationship with Evgeny Kaleshin; just the other day he advised me on books and websites on children’s and youth football.
- During your career, did you always have normal relationships with your partners?
Relationships within a team are always different. All the same, there is always a division according to interests: married people - separately, bachelors - separately. With whom we had good, warm relations, we could go somewhere after the game and sit down. In the first and second divisions, relations were at the proper level, but I did not play in the Premier League. But you must understand: the more money, the fewer friendships, as a rule.
Lately, people have been talking every now and then about the unstable financial situation in Kuban. What do you know about this?
To be honest, I don’t know what’s going on there in the main team, they don’t report to us. In any case, everything comes from the head. If the managers need it, then the team gets results, people follow it, and everything is fine. If it is not necessary, then there are corresponding consequences.
- Now you are the coach of the team for the guys from 2002. Are you happy with the current state of affairs?
Of course, I want to develop and climb the coaching ladder. It’s very interesting for me to work with the boys who are growing up before my eyes; every year they become more and more interesting. But at first, I admit, I didn’t take coaching so seriously. Then, as I already said, I was still playing at Omega at the same time, combining: both there, and here, and here. But now I only work with children and get satisfaction from this work.
- They say it is more difficult to work with children than with adults.
There is such a thing. The nerves are no longer the same. It happens that emotions overwhelm you when you worry about the result, when you see an unfair attitude towards your team on the part of the referees. But it's okay. Where is it easy? I think every profession has its negative nuances. You have to leave work at work, at home it’s a different story - family, spouse, children.
- By the way, tell us more about your children.
I have two sons and a daughter. The eldest - Roman - is 15 years old, daughter Milana - 11, youngest son Stefan - will soon be 3 years old. Roman is an excellent student, very smart, and has a great understanding of computers. I wanted him to become a football player, but perhaps I went too far, scolding him in training when something didn’t work out for him. As a result, he quit football and now plays only for himself when it’s warm outside, and recently he started going to boxing. Milana is clearly an athlete. I used to go to gymnastics, now I go to the trampoline. She is so lively, a daredevil, a “boy in a skirt.” I admit, I really have a great desire for my youngest son Stefan to become a football player, and a more serious football player than his dad. Therefore, now, although he is not yet 3 years old, I am slowly starting to instill in him a love of the ball and outdoor games. So far everything goes according to his mood: if he has a good mood - we play football, if he has a bad one - of course, we don’t play anything (smiles).
- Let's get back to your work. Now you are a children's coach. What's next?
There is a desire to develop. I understand that you can develop in children’s football, but I also want to reach the adult level. I already had coaching experience in an adult team: in Omega I not only played, but was also a player-coach. And he found a common language with the guys. They understood what was required of them.
- "WITH". At the moment I am studying for category “B”-plus.” I have exams coming up in May. If I pass, I will become an elite children's coach. You can't stand still. Whatever you do, you always need to move forward. Study literature, know current trends. And don’t think, like, I know everything what to do, don’t tell me anything, and everything will work out for me.
Draw in favor of Khaimanov
Biologist - Dynamo St - 0:0
“Biologist” (Novokubansk): Golovchanov, Shipulin, Agrba, Reznik (Porkhachev, 83), Rule, Ismailov, Sadirov, Popravkin (Minyaev, 33), Yaroslavtsev (Olifirenko, 46), Kokorev, Rozanov.
Dynamo (Stavropol): Khaimanov, Papulov, Narizhny, Kibizov, Pankov, Barakhoev, Dyshekov (Mikheev, 56, Petrenko, 84), Edunov (Egiazarov, 73), Markosov (Bidov, 76), Kulumbegov, Dzakhmishev.
Warnings: Yaroslavtsev, 13, Sadirov, 16, Barakhoev, 54, Pankov, 55, Bidov, 88.
Judge: A. Komarov (Volgograd).
Village of Progress. Biologist Stadium. 1200 spectators.
The starting lineup of the guests was exactly the same as in the home match of the previous round with Druzhba, which, as you know, ended with a score of 5:1 in favor of the Stavropol team. However, in the village of Progress, the Dynamo players appeared either too imposing or tired.
The beginning of the meeting turned out to be soothing. Only in the 13th minute did Yaroslavtsev, at the cost of a yellow card, interrupt a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper of “Biologist” Golovchanov Barakhoeva. It should be noted that on the eve of the meeting, Dynamo head coach Gennady Gridin expressed concern to the media about the fact that the game will be officiated by a referee from Volgograd, Andrei Komarov, and Rotor, as you know, is the main competitor of the blue-white-gold for access to first division. However, his fears were in vain: in the first half hour of the match, the referee recorded 11 violations of the rules on the part of the hosts and showed them two mustard plaster cards, while his indignant trill towards the Dynamo team was heard for the first time in the 32nd minute!
The audience saw the first poignant moment in the 20th minute. Stavropol midfielder Edunov threw Kulumbegov into the breakthrough. The captain of the guests was met by Reznik, but he was able to beat him, but shot from five meters slightly and straight at Golovchanov.
It took “Biologist” coach Sergei Grigoriev a little more than half an hour to finally become convinced that Popravkin was not ready to play, and he was replaced by Minyaev. And immediately after the cross from the left, Yaroslavtsev headed from 12 meters, but the ball flew centimeters from the far post of the Dynamo goal. However, all this was under Khaimanov’s control. At the end of the first half, the “shots” of Yaroslavtsev and Ismailov hit the Dynamo defenders, and then the visiting defender Kibizov almost cut the ball into his own goal.
After the break, the Biologist players became more active. In the very first minute, Yaroslavtsev boldly stepped up the attack, but did not dare to shoot straight away, and Kibizov knocked the ball away from him. Sadirov hit the free kick hard - high. And in the 61st minute, the same Sadirov rushed like a whirlwind along the left flank and passed the ball a little back to the center to Ismailov. There was an immediate blow, but the ball hit Yaroslavtsev’s feet. He instantly broke away from Kibizov, went into the penalty area to the left of Khaimanov and hit the empty goal. However, the goal was not counted - apparently, Komarov determined a violation of the rules in the confrontation between Yaroslavtsev and Kibizov.
Seven minutes later, forgotten by the Dynamo defenders, Ismailov headed in a cross at the far post, but hit the goal post from a couple of meters away. Immediately Yaroslavtsev won a single combat against Kibizov and fired a sharp shot from the middle distance - Khaimanov was on the alert.
The advantage of "Biologist" was undeniable. However, Dynamo are able to quickly counterattack. In the 78th minute, Kulumbegov brought Dzakhmishev one on one with Golovchanov with an accurate pass, but the goalkeeper, jumping out of the gate, parried a dangerous low shot while falling. However, the attack of the guests did not choke on this. The ball bounced to Kulumbegov, who beat the goalkeeper on his swing, but his shot got stuck in the legs of the defenders who protected the goalkeeper. And then the selfless Shipulin and Rozanov did not allow Bidov to push the ball from three meters into the goal. Another chance for Dynamo fell to Bidov, who at the near post closed in a sharp cross from Egiazarov's right flank, but the ball missed the post by a meter.
Subsequently, the “biologists” constantly fired at the Dynamo gate from a variety of positions. And if not for Khaimanov’s brilliant reaction, the guests would not have seen anyone’s ears as if they were their own ears. With an interval of several minutes, the goalkeeper won two micro-duels against the overactive Yaroslavtsev, and also reflected a targeted “shot” from Sadirov.
And in the last minute, the hosts almost blundered another counterattack from Stavropol: Dzakhmishev entered the penalty area with the ball, but his shot was blocked at the last moment by Shipulin.
Oddly enough, this draw led to positive tournament changes for both clubs. And if Dynamo rose from 5th to 4th place, then for “Biologist” this point was worth a lot - the Novokuban team soared from 12th to 8th place. And there is every reason to believe that the rise of Sergei Grigoriev’s charges in the table of ranks will continue.
Head coach of DynamoGennady GRIDIN:- We go out to win every match and today we came for three points. And we even obviously thought that we would win. Perhaps this is what let us down. The result is natural. The first half was ours, in the second half, on the contrary, the hosts dominated. Today we were a little lacking in spice and freshness. We score a lot at home, but away from home everything is not so easy. “Biologist” is a good, solid team, so the main thing is that we showed character today and did not yield to the hosts.
Head coach of "Biologist"Sergey GRIGORIEV:- We should have won. After all, the game is played not in one half, but over the entire 90 minutes of the fight. We studied the opponent well, looked at the statistics - who scored and at what moment. And already before the match we knew that in the first 25-30 minutes it would be very difficult for us. They deliberately gave up the territory and acted cautiously from behind. There were problems in the midfield due to injuries to three leading players. Nevertheless, we played this half hour as planned. In the second half, the game was already developing according to our scenario, but, unfortunately, we failed to score. I'm happy with the team, but not satisfied with the result.
Vadim Khnygin, Novokubansk
The International Olympic Committee nevertheless announced the criteria by which it removed the names of Russian athletes from the list for participation in the Olympics. To do this, it was necessary to conduct lengthy negotiations not by the Russian side, but by the heads of international federations writing letters to Thomas Bach. But the picture did not become clearer.
Here are the 17 IOC criteria with our comments:
Disqualification of the Oswald commission (now many athletes are challenging them in court, but the decisions will be announced too late - approx. edit.)
Doping violations during a career (athletes with a “doping history” from other countries are going to the Olympics, record-breaking skaters Yuskov and Kulizhnikov, a complaint about the lack of equality can only be filed after the Games)
The Duchess list (compiled by informant Grigory Rodchenkov)
Scratches and marks on athlete's doping test tubes (what they mean has not yet been proven)
Increased salt content in an athlete’s doping tests (the IOC considers them indirect evidence)
Atypical levels of steroids in an athlete’s doping samples (another indirect evidence)
DNA discrepancy in an athlete’s doping samples (a more or less clear criterion)
Data from the Moscow anti-doping laboratory system (it seems to have been stolen by Rodchenkov’s subordinates, but it has not yet been proven that the database was not fabricated)
Emails from the McLaren report (Russian stars like Shipulin or Ustyugov are not there)
Information about the “clean” urine bank (the point is that a clean urine bank was allegedly created in Russia to replace samples, information about whose samples are there has not been made public, nothing can be verified)
Biological passports of athletes (the blood and urine parameters of each athlete are monitored throughout their career, sharp jumps in them are indirect evidence, this is an adequate indicator)
Correspondence between data on steroid levels between RUSADA and WADA
Results of cross-checking of doping samples from the 2014 Games (duplicate several points above, starting with the Oswald commission).
Information about the whereabouts of athletes provided in the ADAMS system, used for the opportunity to take a doping test from an athlete during the out-of-competition period (There is a suspicion that this particular point became the hook for the removal of the majority. This is usually considered a minor violation, in a single case it is almost always forgiven to athletes from other countries)
The number of doping tests passed (there must be a certain number per season, our stars are fine here)
Additional information from international federations (this is something new: what information? Why can’t you open your own disciplinary case based on this information?)
Additional information from WADA (here we mean informants, and in general, you can come up with anything you want).
It is impossible to understand which of these conditions An, Shipulin or Ustyugov did not pass. Some of these rules were invented by the IOC on the spot, and none of them can be challenged. It is impossible to win a unique quest called “pass the IOC commission.”
"Olympiastadion" (Munich, Germany). Opened in 1972. Accommodates 69,250 spectators.
The final match of the first UEFA Champions League in the 1992/93 season took place at the Munich Olympic Stadium. Marseille and Milan competed for the trophy. The meeting, which took place on May 23, 1993, ended in victory for the French team with a score of 1:0.
The Munich Arena hosted the second final of the main European club tournament in 1997. In that match, Borussia Dortmund beat Juventus 3:1.
Olympic Stadium (Athens, Greece). Opened in 1982, reconstructed in 2002-2004. Accommodates 69,618 spectators.
The Olympic Stadium in the capital of Greece can be called happy for Milan. After losing in the final of the 1992/93 season, the Italian club again reached the decisive stage of the tournament the following year, where they defeated Barcelona with a score of 4:0.
Thirteen years later, the Rossoneri returned to the Athens Olympic Stadium as trophy contenders and again managed to win, this time over Liverpool 2-1.
"Ernst Happel Stadion" (Vienna, Austria). Opened in 1931, reconstructed twice - in 1986 and 2008. Accommodates 55,665 spectators.
The arena in the Austrian capital hosted the final of the Champions League of the 1994/95 season, and Milan participated in it for the third time in a row. Like two years earlier, the Italians lost with a score of 0:1, but this time to Ajax.
Stadio Olimpico (Italy, Rome). Opened in 1937, the last reconstruction was carried out in 1989-1990. Accommodates 72,698 spectators.
In the 1995/96 season, Ajax came to Rome as the reigning Champions League winner, but the Dutch club failed to defend its title. Already in the first half of the match with Juventus, the teams exchanged goals, after which they brought the matter to a penalty shootout. The Bianconeri were more accurate and won the main European club trophy.
The Olympic Stadium in Rome received the right to once again host the Champions League final of the 2008/09 season, but this time the local teams failed to make it to the decisive stage of the tournament. The trophy was won this year by Barcelona, beating Manchester United 2:0.
Amsterdam Arena (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Opened in 1996. Accommodates 54,990 spectators.
The stadium, which now bears the name of Johan Cruyff, hosted the Champions League final just two years after it opened. In May 1998, Real Madrid and Juventus met on the field of the Amsterdam Arena. The match ended with a score of 1:0 in favor of the Madrid club.
Camp Nou (Barcelona, Spain). Opened in 1957, it was reconstructed twice - in 1995 and 2008. Accommodates 99,354 spectators.
The Barcelona stadium has seen many memorable matches, but the 1998/99 Champions League final stands apart. Without exaggeration, that meeting between Bayern and Manchester United can be called legendary. The Germans took the lead in the 6th minute and controlled the game until the last minutes, but two goals scored by the Mancunians in stoppage time of the second half brought victory to Manchester United.
"Stade de France" (Saint-Denis, France). Opened in 1998. Accommodates 81,338 spectators.
The arena, built on the outskirts of Paris, hosted the Champions League final for the first time in the 1999/2000 season. The meeting between Real Madrid and Valencia ended with a confident victory for the Madrid club with a score of 3:0. This was the first time in the history of the Champions League that clubs from the same country played in the final.
6 years later, in the 2005/06 season, Barcelona and Arsenal competed for the trophy on the Stade de France field. The Londoners, who played in the minority from the 18th minute after goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off, opened the scoring 10 minutes before the break, but in the second half goals from Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti brought victory to the Catalans - 2:1.
"San Siro" (Milan, Italy). Opened in 1926. The last reconstruction was carried out in 1989. Accommodates 80,018 spectators.
The San Siro Stadium was renamed in honor of Giuseppe Meazza in 1979, but the historical name of the arena is still the most popular and recognizable throughout the world. The Champions League final has been held here twice.
In the 2000/01 season, Bayern and Valencia played a dramatic match in Milan in which penalty kicks played a major role. Already in the 2nd minute, Gaizka Mendieta brought the Spaniards ahead from the penalty spot, and 4 minutes later, the Bats goalkeeper Santiago Canizares saved a penalty kick from Mehmet Scholl. At the beginning of the second half, Stefan Effenberg equalized the score from the penalty spot, and the fate of the match was decided in a series of post-match strikes, in which the Bayern players were more accurate.
15 years later, in May 2016, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid almost exactly repeated the scenario of the game between Bayern and Valencia in the same arena. Regular time also ended with the score 1:1, in extra time the teams failed to score, and the Royal Club won in the penalty shootout.
Hampden Park (Glasgow, Scotland). Opened in 1903. Reconstructed in 1999. Accommodates 51,866 spectators.
Real Madrid and Bayer 04 took to the Hampden Park pitch in the Champions League final in May 2002, and six months later the arena celebrated its 99th anniversary. The match itself ended with a score of 2:1 in favor of Real Madrid and was remembered for Zinedine Zidane's beautiful goal from the line of the penalty area.
Old Trafford (Manchester, England). Opened in 1910. The last reconstruction was carried out in 2006. Accommodates 74,879 spectators.
The second final in the modern history of the Champions League involving teams representing one country took place in the 2002/2003 season. In the decisive match of the tournament, which took place in Manchester, Milan and Juventus met. The main and extra time ended with the score 0:0, and in the penalty shootout the victory for Milan was brought by a precise shot from Andrei Shevchenko.
Veltins Arena (Gelsenkirchen, Germany). Opened in 2001. The stadium's capacity was last increased in 2015; today it is 62,271 people.
The arena has had its current name since the summer of 2005; previously it was called Arena AufSchalke. The stadium hosted matches of the World Football and Hockey Championships. Since 2002, the annual Christmas Biathlon Star Race has been held here.
The 2004 Champions League final, held in Gelsenkirchin, is one of the most memorable for Russian fans, as one of the goals was scored by Dmitry Alenichev. The Porto midfielder set the final score of the match against Monaco (3:0). The Portuguese team at that time was led by Jose Mourinho, who became the youngest head coach in history to win the main European club trophy.
Olympic Stadium (Istanbul, Türkiye). Opened in 2002. Accommodates 80,500 spectators.
The stadium in Istanbul was built to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, but Turkey's bid did not receive the required number of votes, and the Olympics took place in Beijing. Currently, the arena in Istanbul bears the name of the first president of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and is the largest in the country.
The 2005 Istanbul Champions League final is arguably the greatest in the tournament's history. In the decisive match, Milan crushed Liverpool with a score of 3:0 after the first half, but in the second half of the meeting, goals from Gerrard, Smicer and Alonso turned everything upside down. There were no goals scored in extra time, and the British club was stronger in the penalty shootout.
"Luzhniki" (Moscow, Russia). Opened in 1956. The last reconstruction was carried out in 2017. Accommodates 81,000 spectators.
For the first time, Russia received the right to host the 2007/08 Champions League final, and this honorable mission was entrusted to the Luzhniki Grand Sports Arena. Chelsea and Manchester United competed for the trophy, marking the first time two English teams met in a Champions League decider.
The game caused a great stir among fans in both England and Russia; more than 67 thousand spectators were present in the stands. Midway through the first half, Cristiano Ronaldo put Manchester United ahead, but Frank Lampard equalized just before the break. The second half and extra time passed without any goals scored, and in the penalty shootout the Mancunians were more accurate.
Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid, Spain). Opened in 1947. The last reconstruction was carried out in 2001. Accommodates 81,044 spectators.
The home arena of one of the most successful clubs in modern football has hosted the Champions League final only once - in the 2009/10 season, but this only match has gone down in history.
Inter and Bayern met in the Madrid final. The match ended with a score of 2:0 in favor of the Italian club, and Jose Mourinho, who was working with the Nerazzurri at that moment, became the third coach in history who managed to win the Champions Cup with two different teams (there are now five of them: in addition to the Portuguese, this Ernst Happel, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Jupp Heynckes and Carlo Ancelotti).
An interesting fact is that in the Milanese squad in the 2010 final there was only one Italian - Marco Materazzi, and even he appeared on the field in the 90th minute of the match.
Wembley (London, England). Opened in 2007. Accommodates 90,000 spectators.
The new Wembley is built on the site of the legendary arena, which hosted matches of the World and European Championships, the Olympic Games and many European Cup finals.
The final match of the 2010/11 Champions League, which took place at the new Wembley, in a sense turned out to be a home match for Manchester United, but this did not help the Mancunians win the trophy. Barcelona, led by the trio Xavi - Iniesta - Messi, won with a score of 3:1.
In 2013, Wembley hosted the first “German” Champions League final, in which Bayern and Borussia Dortmund met. The victory and the cup were brought to the Bavarians by a precise shot from Arjen Robben, who set the final score at 2:1 in the 89th minute.
Allianz Arena (Munich, Germany). Opened in 2005. Accommodates 67,812 spectators.
The decisive match of the 2011/12 Champions League season was the first final of the tournament, which was held at the home stadium of one of the participants in the meeting - Bayern hosted Chelsea in Munich. The scoring was opened only in the 83rd minute after a shot by the hosts' forward Thomas Muller, but five minutes later the leader of the Londoners' attack, Didier Drogba, restored the balance.
The fate of the trophy was decided in a penalty shootout. Bayern again took the lead after Philipp Lahm's accurate shot and Juan Mata's miss, but then the visiting players converted all their attempts, while the German team's players made two misfires. Thus, Chelsea won the Champions League for the first time in their history.
"Millennium" (Cardiff, Wales). Opened in 1999. Accommodates 73,930 spectators.
The home arena of the Wales national team was opened at the turn of the millennium, having received the appropriate name, but in 2016 the stadium received a new name - Principality Stadium, which, with a certain amount of imagination, can be translated simply as "Princely Stadium", since Wales is part of the United Kingdom, and the Queen's son Elizabeth II Charles bears the title Prince of Wales.
But let's return to the Champions League. The final of the main European club tournament took place here in 2017, and the participants in that match were Real Madrid and Juventus. The Madrid team won with a score of 4:1 and won their second Champions League title in a row, and football fans remembered that meeting for the super goal of Turin striker Mario Mandzukic.
"Metropolitano" (Madrid, Spain). Opened in 1994. Reconstructed in 2017. Accommodates 67,700 spectators.
Liverpool and Tottenham met in the 2019 Champions League final. The final was the first in Tottenham's history, and the first since the 2013 final, where at least one Spanish club did not play. Liverpool, reaching the final for the second time in a row, won the match 2-0. In his third Champions League final as head coach, Jurgen Klopp won the trophy.
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