Under the leadership of Oleg Romantsev, Moscow “Spartak” was the main team of Russia for all 10 years. During his time, he played continuously in the European Cups, defeated “Real” and “Arsenal”, and reached the semi-finals of the European Cups. For the players, winning the domestic championship was like going out to dinner.
It is not surprising that after one of the championships, “Spartak” was officially received by the main man of the Kremlin – Russian President Vladimir Putin. After the end of the season, the players were preparing for rest and a trip to resorts. However, one of the players overstepped the mark, celebrating the next “gold” in Moscow very strongly.
Yury Zavarzin, the general director of the Moscow club at that time, remembers those moments like this: “I have an old photo on my desk. “Spartak” and I are at Putin’s reception. There is no famous player in the photo. He did not reach the Kremlin. He was so drunk in the morning that by 6 o’clock I ordered Vasilkov (ed. – doctor of “Spartak”): “Set him in order!” But… Useless.
– Did you pay a fine?
– No. At that time, the championship was over. And this person was not really an easy drinker.
That event remained in Vasilkov’s memory as follows: “It happened. I remember that there were calls every minute: “Only the death certificate will save him!”
Both Zavarzin and Vasilkov refused to reveal to the press who this football player is. But look at the photo from that reception… It’s not hard to spot that Yegor Titov, one of the legends of Spartak and Russian football, was not there. Alexander Lvov, the then press secretary of the club, explained his absence as follows:
“The anxiety and excitement on Veronika Titova’s face is easily felt. First, she is worried about her husband, who suddenly fell ill. Second, he is excited that he will now have to accept the award instead of Yegor Ilyich. But with how confidently he did it, you can be sure that “Spartak” is in good hands.”
“Suddenly ill” is a good excuse. Let’s add that one of the leaders of “Spartak” confirmed the estimates. Let’s also add that the success in the 2001 season was the last championship for Romantsev’s team in many years. The next time, in the 2016/17 season, Massimo Carrera won “gold” for “Spartak”.
Awe
#death #certificate #save