Russia - The end of a generation

Russia 

 After the dismembering of USSR, Russia has been a regular presence in the group stages of big competitions, but only once was able to advance, in 2008, where they were stopped in the semis by Spain.

 The appointment of Capello was a complete bust and with an old generation reaching their last big stage, it’s hard to predict how they will be at the Euro.

How they qualified

 It’s a very troubled campaign the one the Russians had. They started with a humiliating draw with Moldova and had only 4 points out of 4 games. After a battle in Montenegro that ended up with a win awarded for Russia, and another defeat, at home with Austria, Capello was sacked.

 Leonid Slutsky turned things around, and won 6 points off Sweden, guaranteeing a suffered 2^nd and direct qualification.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Yuri Lodygin (Zenit St Petersburg), Guilherme (Lokomotiv Moscow).

Defenders: Aleksei Berezutski (CSKA Moscow), Vasili Berezutski (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Dmitri Kombarov (Spartak Moscow), Roman Neustadter (Schalke), Georgi Schennikov (CSKA Moscow), Roman Shishkin (Lokomotiv Moscow), Igor Smolnikov (Zenit St Petersburg).

Midfielders: Igor Denisov (Dynamo Moscow), Dmitri Torbinski (Krasnodar), Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow), Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), Oleg Ivanov (Terek Grozny), Pavel Mamaev (Krasnodar), Aleksandr Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Oleg Shatov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (CSKA Moscow).

Forwards: Artem Dzyuba (Zenit St Petersburg), Aleksandr Kokorin (Zenit St Petersburg), Fedor Smolov (Krasnodar).

Aleksandr Kokorin

Club : Zenit (RUS)

Age : 25 years

With the injury of Dzagoev, Kokorin seems the one that will emerge as the key player for Russia. He’s a striker that’s very comfortable playing in the wings, where he has space to face the goal and decide with a shot or an assist.

 Had his breakthrough season in 2013 and was signed by Zenit in January this season, where he’s expected to be the star man from next season on.

Aleksandr Golovin

Club : CSKA (RUS)

Age : 19 years

 Only 19 years old but already plays like an adult in the CSKA Moscow midfield. A wonderkid that has been a regular in the youth Russian success (Euro U-17 win in 2013, runner up U-19 in 2015). In the main squad he started with 2 goals in the 3 friendlies, promising bigger feats in years to come.

Leonid Slutsky

 After a great job at CSKA Moscow, he was chosen by the Russian FA to save the qualification Capello almost destroyed. Slutsky did a great job even achieving direct qualification when it didn’t seem possible. Will manage the team in the Euro and then will probably go back exclusively to CSKA.

What to expect from them?

With the injury of Dzagoev there’s a gap that will probably be filled be Mamaev in the starting XI, without compromising the shape Russia likes to use. It will take out much of its creativity, but Mamaev-Smolov did a good duo in Krasnodar and maybe be the solution for Russia’s doubts.

FIL's Starting XI prediction