Monopoly on victory: Zenit became the football champion of Russia for the second time in a row

Sergey Lvov

At all times, sport, including football, is loved for the unpredictability of the results, for the intrigue, for the struggle despite of all "I can’t”... At its simplest - for еру rivalry and competition.

The Russian Premier League, like the Russian economy, has not brought any surprises in recent years.

There is one pillar that is outstanding in its financial parameters and administrative resources. This is the Zenit.

All other Russian Football Premier League clubs are “smaller brothers”, or in a best case the players of the second role and plan on the set of the inferior movie, in which the main character overcomes any obstacles without any special efforts, which, upon closer examination, are not. Probably not by chance Zenit won this year already 10 away matches.

Well, in fact, who else has at least two full-fledged roster of first-class players by Russian standards? No one. Only the Zenit. All the others at a long championship distance only plug holes in the rosters with either very young or obviously inept players.

And here, even after a series of Varangians, Zenit and with his coach Semak were lucky. Despite the fact that the main sponsor and owner remained invariably generous in any economic storms.

And now just compare what is happening in CSKA, Spartak, Rostov, Dynamo, Lokomotiv... Some head coach changes for several rounds to the end, while others the coach runs off to Russia, offended by too young football players, the third are enthusiastic, but financed by one-twentieth from Zenit... The mess, in a word, confusion and vacillation against the background of complete uncertainty about tomorrow and the desire to make ends meet today. The thing Zenit does not experience even in the least.

So serious competition - apart from rare losses - does not work.

This is sad. Because it accurately reflects the structure of our economy and society. Where for many years the ball has ruled alone, the main Player is a monopolist in essence and form.

And what is characteristic: over time, the role of this Leviathan only grows. Any potential competitors die in the bud, or barely raising a wistful head.

Perhaps next season it’s worth immediately declaring that the fight will only be from second place and below. And the first - by itself - is chartered for the Zenit.

True, Zenit has no success in the European arena. But this is logical: where do they come from, if we play domestically, as in the match of the previous round with Tambov, “for 40 percent” (quote from MATCH-TV) and easily take three points. You’re not used to resistance...

By the way

The not very high level of the game of Zenit rivals in Tinkoff - the Russian Premier League (RPL) became one of the factors of such an early championship for the team from St. Petersburg. This opinion was expressed by TASS best scorer in the history of Zenit, three-time champion of Russia Alexander Kerzhakov.

“This year, Zenit became the champion more confidently than in the past”, - Kerzhakov said. “There were many factors here, this is the team’s experience and the coherence of the game. Probably, the level of the opponents' game played a role in such an early and confident championship. During this season Zenit had no competitors at all (highlighted by us - ed.)