Recognize our players: how Russian players started the season abroad
Despite the fact that Russian clubs have not been seen on the international stage for a long time, the interest of foreign teams in domestic players has not weakened, and we still have the opportunity to see how ours play against not ours. At least personally. And the Russians at the start of the 2024/25 championships are quite noticeable.
Aleksandr Golovin
The Russian midfielder has been playing for Monaco for more than six years and can be considered a legend of the club. It's no coincidence that Golovin has been playing under number ten since this season. However, the championship Alexander did not start immediately - recovery from an ankle injury, received back in early April, delayed, and therefore the Russian had to miss two starting rounds in the championship of the French Ligue 1 (against St. Etienne and Lyon).
Golovin's official return to the field took place on September 1. On that day, Monaco head coach Adi Hütter released Sasha for only eight minutes at the end of the game with Lance (1:1). The player did not have time to mark any productive actions.
But further - more. He came into the starting lineup for the game with Auxerre (3-0) and was substituted in the 64th minute with quite decent performance after a long break: 4/4 successful passes, 82% of accurate passes, four key passes, four earned fouls and an expected goals ratio of 0.5 xG. And in the next round Golovin finally returned to the former game rhythm, having played a full match against Le Havre (3:1) at the position of left winger.
September 19 marked a milestone in Golovin's soccer life: a long-awaited return to the Champions League after six years. And even with a world-class opponent - Spanish Barcelona. Aleksandr came on after the break, without any goals, but he looked good as a playmaker: 88% of accurate passes, three key passes and one foul. Most importantly, Golovin helped Monaco to a historic, first victory over Barça in the Champions League (2-1).
After that game, the footballer in his Telegram channel caused a nostalgia attack among many Internet users, writing a post with the text: "Well, there goes Barça!!!)". It was a reference to Alexander's famous post from back in 2012, which later became a meme (the original post had a different word instead of "husked"). Now it was more relevant than ever!
Daler Kuzyaev
Another of our "French legionnaires", Daler Kuzyaev, started his second season at Le Havre. There, the former Zenit midfielder is a solid core player. Of the five starting matches of the championship Kuziaev missed only one - he stayed in the reserve in the second round against St. Etienne (2:0). But in the first Daler played all 90 minutes against PSG, but not very successfully - "Le Havre" lost big to the Parisians (1:4). Kuzyaev's next appearance on the pitch was on September 1 - eight minutes against Auxerre (3:1). And then - another full match against "Toulouse". "Le Havre" lost (0:2), but the Russian midfielder was the best in the team: actively and successfully engaged in single combat, blocked, selected and intercepted balls, once shot into the goalpost and once charged into the bar.
Then there was the "Russian derby" in the French championship: Golovin's Monaco vs. Kuzyaev. Daler managed to surpass Alexander individually, scoring his first goal of the season (and the fourth for all time in Le Havre), but to achieve team success Kuziaev's efforts were not enough - the Monegasques won with a score of 3:1. In general, the prospects of Le Havre in the season are not the most joyful. According to the analytical system Opta, Kuziaev's team is the second candidate for relegation from Ligue 1 at the end of the season-2024/25.
Matvey Safonov
Since this season, one Russian in France has become more - in the summer goalkeeper Matvey Safonov moved from Krasnodar to PSG. And with this move Matvey has thrown himself a serious challenge - to displace the main goalkeeper of the Parisians, European champion in the Italian national team Gianluigi Donnarumma. So far, let's be honest, the Russian has been lucky - Donnarumma is still healing from his injury. This gave Safonov a chance to prove himself in official matches for the new club.
His debut came right away in the Champions League, in a match against Spanish "Girona". And quite successfully. Parisians won, and the Russian goalkeeper did not miss. After Safonov first went to the match in Ligue 1 against Reims. He already scored, and already in the 9th minute, and this goal led to the first loss of points PSG in the championship (1:1). Local publication L'Équipe rated Safonov's game at 4/10. Only two of his teammates were rated lower - Lucas Beraldo and Bradley Barcola.
- We had problems, we are all human. We made mistakes and the opponent took advantage of them. We need to work on these little mistakes," Safonov said after the match against Reims. - I am very happy to be in PSG, I need to work even more. Sometimes the team needs me and I will be ready to do my job. Coming here, I understood that Donnarumma is No. 1. I'm here to work and prove myself in training and to the team when the team needs me. I'll be ready when you need me.
Matvey Safonov will probably get his next chance on September 27 in a home game against Rennes. If Donnarumma hasn't returned to action by then.
Alexei Miranchuk
After a few years in Italy, Lokomotiv Moscow pupil Alexei Miranchuk got a new call-up - to the USA. At Atlanta United, the Russian was given the opportunity to become a leader from the start. Miranchuk's debut in the U.S. came in the match against the Los Angeles Galaxy on August 25 (0:2), where he played 29 minutes. But it was, as they call it, a warm-up. In the next four games, the Russian midfielder played 90 minutes each. And in the last two games he scored a goal each. First Miranchuk struck everyone with a stunning long-range shot into the back nine in the match against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami - this goal not only saved Atlanta from defeat (2:2), but was also recognized as the best goal of the tour in MLS. And in the next round Miranchuk distinguished himself again, realizing a penalty in the game against the New York Red Bulls (2:2).
Anton Miranchuk
After a long stay as a free agent, Alexei Miranchuk's brother Anton managed to find a new club abroad. In September Miranchuk signed a two-year contract with Swiss Super League club Sion. Given Anton's transfer value (€6 million), we can assume that the Swiss club sees him as a leader just like his brother in Atlanta. For comparison, the second most expensive player at Sion is valued at €800k.
On September 22, Anton Miranchuk made his debut in a new league, playing 60 minutes in the match against Lugano (0-0). But the debut, alas, can hardly be called successful: 67% of accurate passes, 0 shots on goal, not a single won fight for the ball and ten losses of possession. Although Anton needs time to adapt in new conditions. Surely the team understands that.
Fedor Chalov
Former CSKA forward Fedor Chalov started the new season in Greek PAOK, where, by the way, another Russian Magomed Ozdoyev plays. And in the first round of the Superleague against Panserraikos, Fedor gave a goal. But still, they expected goals from Chalov. And they were not for a long time - seven games in a row. PAOK vice-president Kyriakos Kyriakos said that the club are not upset about Chalov's goal drought.
- Fedor is already adapting to our playing style and becoming an important player for the team. We expect from our strikers not only scoring goals, but also efforts in all aspects of the game, such as pressing, combinations with teammates, opening up space. So Fedor is already doing a lot for PAOK. No one needs to worry about Fedor! - said Kyriakos.
And the very next day Fedor scored his first goal for PAOK - in a 4-1 win against Volos in the league. And even though this goal was a curiosity - with the ball bouncing off his foot after an unsuccessful clearance by the opposing goalkeeper, but it was a start.
