...Saint Petersburg, Russia’s suspension from the Champions League looks like it’s making players pretty angry
WEIRD WORLD OF FOOTBALL
1 THE PARIAH LEAGUE
Russian football has been cast far into the wilderness since last February’s invasion of Ukraine, and it seems like it’s been putting players on edge.
The national team have struggled to set up fixtures – Bosnia’s squad refused to play them, so they took on Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan instead.
Title winners Zenit were barred from this season’s Champions League groups, while Spartak Moscow were again not welcome in the Europa League after being thrown out of the last 16 in 2021-22.
Spartak won the 2022 Russian Cup Final with Victor Moses in their side after the Premier League denied him permission to sign for Burnley outside of the transfer window, but frustration got the better of everyone during this season’s cup clash with Zenit, resulting in six red cards. Spartak’s Quincy Promes (above left) escaped dismissal, but Zenit’s former Barcelona star Malcom was among those sent off.
As anti-war protests are stifled across the country, attendances have been hit this term after a new fan ID was introduced to quell violence – maybe they should have been worrying about issues on the field.
2 “WELL DONE, HE’S 36”
We’ve all heard of reunions for trophy-winning squads – Neville Southall had a get-together to mark a particularly withering put-down.
The Welshman cut Michael Owen right down to size in 1999, when the striker scored past junior goalkeeper Jamie Hutchinson as part of Owen’s eponymous Soccer Skills TV show and celebrated like he’d just clinched the World Cup. “Well done, he’s 13,” deadpanned Southall, inspiring a million memes. The pair caught up recently for Fantasy Football League to share tales about old times – well, mainly that one day, to be honest.
Coming soon in, er, 2046, Cristiano Ronaldo meets that kid whose phone he smashed at Goodison Park.
3 MATTY CASH AND A FAN
Aston Villa defender Matty Cash made his major tournament debut at the World Cup – suddenly, all the icons want to meet him.
The Slough-born full-back starred in a recent Polish TV advert, emerging instead of Santa from a chimney in full kit, then started all four matches for Poland in Qatar, swapping shirts with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to add to Cash’s attic. Following the Eagles’ last-16 exit to France, he bumped into Ronaldinho on the beach, as you do.
Ronnie posed happily, pretending he knew who the Villa man was, but FFT suspects that when the Brazilian told his agent, “I’m only going to Qatar if they
