Yuri Zhirkov
Member of the Executive Committee of the Russian football Union (RFU), Chairman of the Board of Directors “Zenith” Alexander djukov considers unacceptable sharp criticism of the players of the national team of Russia on football. He said this “Sport-Express”.
Functionary stood up for the midfielder Yuri Zhirkov and goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, who after the departure of the national team from the confederations Cup, criticized another member of the RFU Executive Committee, Vice-speaker of the state Duma Igor Lebedev. “Obviously, such comments provoke persecution,” said Dyukov, adding that the errors can not be “occasion for defamation”.
In his opinion, the two yellow cards were given to Zhirkov in the lost match against Mexico (1:2) and entailed the removal of the player from the field, was “game” and mostly subjective assessment of the episodes of the arbiter. Net, missed the second goal after exiting the penalty, the Dukes called a great master.
Lebedev after Russia’s defeat against Mexico in the final match of the group stage of the confederations Cup said that Zhirkov was not entitled to two warnings in this match. “Like a man in the locker room, he had to face!” — called politician. He later noted that it might have been said on the emotions, and expressed willingness to make peace with the player. However, the RFU has considered inadmissible the words of Lebedev, the organization’s President Vitaly Mutko advised the MP to act like a man.
In the match against the Mexicans 33-year-old Zhirkov, who played in 77 games for the Russian national team in the 68th minute when the score was 2:1 in favor of the opponent got a second yellow card for elbowing in the head and was sent off. The first warning he received early in the match for dangerous play.
In the end, the Russians lost and failed to qualify in the playoffs of the tournament.