Friday, August 6, 2021 at 4:45 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 16:50

Spartak Moscow has a hectic preparation in the run-up to the possible meeting with PSV in the play-offs of the Champions League. The Russian club, which lost 0-2 against Benfica in the first game on Wednesday, is dealing with a wave of layoffs. In the half-time of the duel with the Portuguese, sporting director Dmitri Popov decided to throw in the towel. Following Popov, the communications director and the press secretary are also closing the door behind them, he said Record.

The reason for the departure of Popov is the missing out on Gonzalo Montiel. The River Plate defender was about to make the move to Russia but was stopped after President Leonid Fedun made inquiries from Domenico Tedesco. The latter announced in December last year that he would leave as trainer of Spartak after his contract expired. “I don’t know what exactly happened,” said current coach Rui Vitória after the game with Benfica. “That should become clear after I have had a personal meeting. For a club of this size it is important to have stability and that is not the case now.”

The instigator of all the unrest is said to be Salikhova Zarema, Fedun’s wife. Zarema is part of the club’s management and criticized Vitória after the defeat to Benfica. “Did he say Spartak had nothing to lose?” Zarema wondered aloud. “The players have done everything they can to achieve this towards the end of the season, but that does not make the responsibility any less. If we don’t become champions, we will miss out on 20 million euros.” It is not the first time that friction has arisen between the owner’s wife and Vitória. She also struggled with the appointment of the coach.

Spartak needs a miracle to face PSV in the play-offs. The team will play the return against Benfica on Tuesday evening and must make up for a 2-0 deficit. Fedun takes it seriously. “The relegation of Russian football is visible, you can clearly see it in European competitions,” he told Sports Express. “We are moving further and further away from the clubs in the rest of Europe. We are no longer a second-rate league, but a third-rate league. And no matter how hard we fought, Benfica just had a lot more quality. still turning our way.”