Russia’s national football team has won its first international match against a European team since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Coach Valeri Karpin’s team won 4-0 (2-0) against European Championship participants Serbia in Moscow.
The game had previously caused heavy criticism. The Serbian association will receive a lucrative signing bonus of 250,000 euros from Russia, and travel expenses will be covered. The Russian war of aggression? Does not matter. Criticism? Is not desired.
Serbian association vice-president scoffs in advance
It is “unbelievable” that this game is talked about more in all other countries than in Serbia and Russia, scoffed Serbian association vice-president Branislav Nedimovic. “This is a sporting event that has nothing to do with politics.”
Relations between Belgrade and Moscow are still considered friendly. Serbia did not participate in Western sanctions against Russia over the war of aggression.
UEFA boss Ceferin also sees no problem
The Serbian representatives are not entirely alone in their attitude. “Now they’re playing a friendly game: So what? Why is that such a problem?” asked UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin in a recent Guardian interview, referring to the Russians’ gradual return to sport.
Russia has been banned from all competitive matches by the football associations FIFA and UEFA because of the war. However, UEFA allowed the friendly match. The result should also be included in the world rankings created by FIFA.
In the past two years, the Russian team has only played a few friendly games against associations from other continents – such as Iraq, Iran, Cuba and Cameroon. On Monday we play again in Moscow against Paraguay.
