Semak criticizes Russian Cup format after Zenit's loss to Dynamo.

12 hours ago7 min read

In a fiery post-match critique that reverberated through Russian football, Zenit St. Petersburg's manager Sergey Semak launched a blistering assault on the Russian Cup's controversial format following his team's disheartening 3-1 home defeat to Dynamo Moscow in the first leg of the Fonbet Cup knockout stage.The core of Semak's frustration lies in a baffling regulatory paradox: despite winning their group, Zenit is now penalized, forced to play the decisive second leg away in Moscow while carrying a punishing two-goal deficit. 'It's incomprehensible to me,' Semak stated with palpable exasperation, highlighting the absurdity where the reward for group-stage victory is a distinct competitive disadvantage.He elaborated that this structure, which he and others had previously criticized to no avail, inadvertently incentivizes tactical failure, suggesting it might be strategically wiser to lose certain group matches to secure a more favorable knockout path. 'It turns out that in the group it's better to lose matches, to exit and lose, than to win and end up in worse conditions,' he argued, pointing to a fundamental flaw that undermines the sporting principle of rewarding success.This isn't merely the lament of a manager on the wrong end of a result; it's a pointed indictment of a tournament design that Semak believes is outdated and lacks the 'interesting' and 'fair' elements that could be introduced to reduce the number of inconsequential 'pass-through matches. ' Drawing a parallel to the intense two-legged ties in European competitions like the Champions League, where the away goals rule once added a layer of strategic depth, the current Russian Cup format appears stagnant by comparison.While Semak pragmatically conceded that 'the regulations are the regulations' and promised his team would fight in the return leg, his comments have ignited a broader debate about modernization within the Russian Football Union. The consequences of this loss extend beyond the cup; for a Zenit side accustomed to domestic dominance, this potential early exit puts immense pressure on their Premier League campaign and raises questions about their resilience. Semak's public airing of these grievances, therefore, is more than just post-game venting; it is a calculated challenge to the authorities, a demand for a 'more just situation' where a winning team's achievements hold tangible value, forcing a necessary conversation about the future of one of Russia's most historic football competitions.

#Russian Cup

#Zenit

#Dynamo

#Semak

#regulations

#criticism

#featured