Assessed Performances of 11 Russian Players in Lokomotiv's Starting Lineup: Insights from Ex-Chertanovo Manager Larin
Nikolay Larinin Praises Lokomotiv's All-Russian Starting LineupNikolay Larinin, the former general director of "Chertanovo," applauded Lokomotiv for fielding an all-Russian starting lineup in their Russian Championship match against "Orenburg" (1:1). In an exclusive interview with "Sport-Express," he expressed that he thinks it's benefiting the Russian national team and encouraged other clubs to adopt this approach.
He also addressed the question of whether a purely Russian squad could achieve impressive results. Larinin believes that given sufficient opportunities, Russian footballers could potentially match the performance of top league clubs.
As it stands, Lokomotiv, boasting 79% Russians in the squad, currently ranks sixth in the RPL standings. During the fall, the team led the competition for a spell, and young midfielder Alexei Batrov, with 13 goals, is among the league's top 3 scorers.
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#Lokomotiv Moscow
While the details of Lokomotiv's summer 2025 transfer plans remain somewhat flexible, particularly concerning defender Cesar Montes, who is reportedly mulling over a return to Mexico's Liga MX with Cruz Azul[1], the club's potential need for defensive reinforcements arises. However, specifics about Lokomotiv's upcoming transfer targets have yet to be announced.
As for the correlation between fielding a mainly Russian squad and performance, the available data does not offer definitive evidence or analysis on how Lokomotiv's player composition has impacted their recent Russian Premier League results. Sources focus more on individual players (such as Montes) rather than team dynamics or tactical outcomes. Historically, Russian clubs have often leaned toward domestic players due to geopolitical factors and sanctions, but the performance effects are usually context-dependent and not universally quantifiable without specific metrics.
Key takeaway: While Lokomotiv may face departures like Montes[1], the specifics of their transfer strategy for the summer remain unclear. The impact of fielding a mainly Russian squad on team performance is hard to determine without more specific data and analysis.
- Despite the uncertainty surrounding Lokomotiv's transfer plans for defender Cesar Montes, there seems to be a potential need for defensive reinforcements in the squad.
- Alexei Batrov, one of the league's top 3 scorers, is a young midfielder who currently plays for Lokomotiv, contributing to 13 goals during the season.
- Nikolay Larinin, a former general director of "Chertanovo," believes that a purely Russian squad, like the one fielded by Lokomotiv, could potentially be competitive and match the performance of top league clubs given sufficient opportunities.
- Despite the praise for Lokomotiv's all-Russian starting lineup from Nikolay Larinin, there is no definitive evidence or analysis available on how the player composition has influenced the team's recent Russian Premier League results.
