Recharged for a new season

In the middle of this week all players of the main team have gone through a medical check excluding Russian internationals Roman Pavlyuchenko and Denis Glushakov. And today Lokomotiv have gathered on their base in Bakovka to hold their first training this season. Guided by Igor Cherevchenko and Maria Burova, the Railwaymen are going to practice here throughout June according to the programme of the new head coach Slaven Bilic. Then, together with the Croatian, they will go to a training camp in Slovenia.

Besides the well-known players of the main team, eight other guys joined the training process. They were defender Andrey Ivanov and midfielder Alan Chochiev (both are back from loan), halfback Alexander Zakuskin, goalkeepers Miroslav Lobantsev, Yuri Kostrikov and Alexander Vorobyov from the youth team, and players of Lokomotiv-2 Denis Voynov and Muhammad Sultonov. Main squad players Taras Burlak, Maxim Belyaev, Magomed Ozdoev, Alexander Filtsov and Senijad Ibricic were given a rest as they played for their national teams. They will join Lokomotiv later. Goalkeeper Guilherme, and midfielders Dmitry Tarasov and Alberto Zapater worked according to their individual programmes.

All players returned suntanned and refreshed and some have even changed their oulook: Jan Durica decided to crop his hair close and now looks like many of his mates from Team Slovakia. Everybody looked happy, but got serious as the training began.

Maria Burova started with the stamina exercises including the obstacle course. Then there was a small-sided game between Yellows and Blues. Blues won 2:0 due to the goals of Felipe Caicedo and Maxim Grigoriev.

To crown it all, the Railwaymen did some balance, stabilization and stretching exercises – and it was over. Just on time, as the sky got overcast and strong wind started blowing. So even the unstable weather helped Loko that Friday.

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