Spartak Moscow secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over CSKA in the final of the Russian Cup's Path of Regions Fonbet tournament for the 2025/2026 season. The match delivered the intensity expected of a classic Moscow derby, with Spartak executing a disciplined, result-oriented game plan to lift the trophy.
However, the post-match narrative quickly shifted from Spartak's achievement to the controversy surrounding CSKA's management. Football expert Andrey Sozin directed sharp criticism at the club's leadership, focusing on their handling of head coach Fabio Celestini's dismissal. Sozin argued that the decision to part ways with the coach came far too late, suggesting it should have been made a full month prior to the final.
The expert's frustration was particularly aimed at a video released by CSKA showing emotional scenes of Celestini and club officials in tears following the loss. Sozin dismissed this display as a superficial attempt to manage public perception, calling it a "polished picture" that masked deeper organizational failures. He questioned the sincerity of the emotions, pointing to a season plagued by injuries, internal communication breakdowns, and overall team discord as the real reasons for the team's collapse.
According to Sozin, had CSKA acted decisively and removed Celestini a month earlier, the outcome of the cup final might have been different. He implied that a timely change in leadership could have stabilized the squad and potentially led to "tears of happiness" instead of the sorrowful scenes witnessed after the defeat. The delay, in his view, squandered any chance for a late-season turnaround.
The analyst did not hold back in his assessment of the club's front office, stating that their actions demonstrated a clear lack of competence to the wider football community. By waiting until after a major final to make a coaching change, CSKA's leadership effectively admitted their own mismanagement of the season's critical junctures.
While Spartak celebrated a deserved cup win, the spotlight remained firmly on CSKA's internal turmoil. The defeat marked the end of a disappointing campaign, with Sozin's commentary underscoring a belief that the club's problems were systemic and evident long before the final whistle blew.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.