World Soccer - UK (2020-12)

The Bulls did very well indeed to secure a
third-place finish in Russian last term. For
much of the season, their treatment room
was over-subscribed. Swedish winger
Viktor Claesson and French playmaker
Remy Cabella missed much of the
campaign after tearing cruciate ligaments,
while striker Ari and midfielders Yuriy
Gazinskiy and Ruslan Kambolov also had
lengthy spells out. All are now fit again.

Will Krasnodar be more cautious?
Maybe, though it’s never been part of the
Musayev plan to be excessively prudent.
In marked contrast to most Russian sides,
Krasnodar like to boss possession. They
look to keep the ball circulating, create
overloads, then spring into attacking life.

Basaksehir sent out a clear message of
defiance last season by becoming the first
team in a decade to break the Super Lig
stranglehold of the nation’s “Big Three”
(Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray).
Maybe they celebrated a little too much
on the west bank of the Bosphorus –
they have so far started the 2020-21
Super Lig season extremely poorly.

In which areas must they improve?
They have to learn how to function at a
higher tempo. In the Super Lig, they can
get away with a slower, more calculated
style of play. Their principal problem is
the advanced age of their squad (over
30). They do lack vitality and fresh legs.

FERENCVAROS

Celtic’s conquerors to cause more upsets?

ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR

Debutantsmaystruggletostepup

KRASNODAR

Southern Russians hope to make their mark

The Budapest club used to be no mean
Euro performers, winning the Fairs Cup –
the forerunner of the Europa League –
in1964-65. The “Fradi” side of the ’60s
and ’70s even featured one of the great
forwards of all time in Florian Albert –
European Player of the Year in1967. It’s
been downhill most of the way since, but
they are finally back in the big time.

What are Rebrov’s coaching methods?
In many ways, he coaches like he played
–puttingapremiumonintelligence and
mobility.Inan attackingsense,theyarea
mirror imageof Rebrov,featuring small,
quick forwards who are creative on the
flanks and shuttle between the lines.

5

Celtic destroyer...

Tokmac Nguen

(left) celebrates

Talisman...

Visca (right)

Yuriy Gazinskiy...

Midfield general

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

COACH

Murad Musayev

Promoted in April

2018 after running

the academy for

seven years.

KEYMAN

Yuriy Gazinskiy

Krasnodar always

play with more

fluidity when central

midfielder Gazinskiy

is on the field.

YOUNGSTER

TO WATCH

Matvey Safonov

Exceptional 21-year-

old shot-stopper and

penalty area voice

of authority.

COACH

Okan Buruk

Led the Basaksehir

outfit to the title in

his first season in

charge. Encourages

expansive play.

KEYMAN

Edin Visca

Popular Bosnian

midfielder, who has

been pulling the

strings for nine years.

YOUNGSTER

TO WATCH

Berkay Ozcan

Inventive 23-year-

old German-born

attacking midfielder

with a big future.

COACH

Serhiy Rebrov

Coach since August

2018 and the man

behind their return

to the top table.

KEYMAN

Tokmac Nguen

Forward whose pace

and runs are vital to

the Magyar champs.

Hit the winner in the

qualifiers v Celtic.

YOUNGSTER

TO WATCH

Oleksandr Zubkov

A classic winger, the

Ukrainian has top-

level dribbling ability.