Sozin: RFUs Late Decision to Exclude Torpedo Disrupts CSKAs Season Preparation

Football analyst Andrey Sozin commented on the disqualification of Moscow’s «Torpedo» from the Russian Premier League — 2025/2026 just days before the tournament kickoff. The opening match of the RPL between «Torpedo» and CSKA was scheduled for Monday, July 21.

«There are no minor details in football, especially when it comes to season preparation and its commencement. Today, ‘Torpedo’ was removed from the RPL. So, what should CSKA do now? They were preparing for the Super Cup away, then for the match in Moscow against ‘Torpedo.’ Now everything has to change: they also face a challenging away game in Orenburg. And it’s not just about the flight or the club’s logistics for accommodation and training. Some players might even be prohibited from playing on artificial turf. Is this not a factor in their preparation, according to the RFS? Is it really such a trivial matter?

The key question is: why was the decision regarding ‘Torpedo’ made so late? There had been discussions about ‘something happening’ for a month. There was plenty of time to make a decision and inform the clubs in advance. But no, they waited until just a week before the start. Is this fair to all clubs affected?

I’m not saying whether the bosses of ‘Torpedo’ are at fault or not—I am not a lawyer, and that’s not my concern. My point is that other clubs, which have nothing to do with this situation, are also suffering. The RFS has eliminated ‘Torpedo’ from the RPL, disrupting CSKA’s season preparations,» said Sozin in an interview with Championship correspondent Maxim Pakhomov.

On Thursday, July 10, the control and disciplinary committee of the RFS convened and made the decision to disqualify ‘Torpedo.’ Earlier, the club’s president, Leonid Sobolev, was accused of exerting illegal influence on match outcomes. The super cup match between Russia — 2025 «Krasnodar» and CSKA will take place on Saturday, July 12.