Karpin advised football players to leave the RPL – Kommersant

The head coach of the Russian national football team, Valery Karpin, advised athletes to leave the Russian Premier League (RPL) for foreign clubs. He said this while talking to reporters after a friendly match with the Qatar team.

“I gave him (advice to leave the Russian Premier League.— ”b”) has already given 586 thousand times, whoever can, leave. I can say this again. Will the league be weaker? But those who will play there, even if there are 20 people, but they will be strong,” said Mr. Karpin (quoted from TASS).

Valery Karpin added that there is a huge difference between the national team players who are now playing for European clubs and those who remained in Russia. First of all, it concerns the level of physical fitness of athletes.

Mr. Karpin also noted the decline in the level of the Russian football championship. With the athletes, as the national team coach said, we need to continue to work and motivate them.

State Duma Deputy Roman Teryushkov counted, that by advising athletes to leave the country, Valery Karpin is engaged in “propaganda of betrayal of the country and treason to the Motherland.” Alexander Samedov, who played for the Russian national team at international and European championships, Karpin’s position divided. “If you play in the strongest league, it increases the level of skill,” said Mr. Samedov.

In February 2022, the International Football Federation and the Union of European Football Associations temporarily suspended Russian clubs and national teams from participating in international championships due to the Ukrainian conflict.

Petr Buzlaev