Former Russia U-21 footballer Alexey Nikitin stated on Match TV that not all players from the extended national team squad will feature in the upcoming friendlies.
On Tuesday, Russia announced a 36-man extended squad for matches against Egypt, Burkina Faso, and Trinidad and Tobago. Nikitin commented: “Russia faces three matches, but I don’t think we can field three completely different lineups. We simply lack enough quality center-backs for three separate teams. I expect the final squad to consist of 29-30 players. For head coach Valeri Karpin, it’s not just about testing players on the pitch—he also wants to assess their personal qualities. That explains the call-ups of some young players who haven’t had much game time yet.”
As for the inclusion of Alexander Sobolev, Nikitin added: “Sobolev is definitely among Russia’s top four strikers. It’s hard to imagine Zenit’s attack without him, even when he’s not scoring.”
Russia’s schedule is as follows: May 28 against Egypt in Cairo, June 5 against Burkina Faso in Volgograd, and June 9 against Trinidad and Tobago in Kaliningrad.