A string of high-profile signings have made Spartak Moscow capable of challenging for its first Russian title in over a decade, Spartak general director Valery Karpin said Thursday.
Spartak came a distant second to Zenit St. Petersburg last season with Karpin as coach, but have since brought in former Valencia coach Unai Emery and signed Brazil midfielder Romulo, Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom and former Argentina defender Juan Manuel Insaurralde.
“For the first time in four years, they’re calling Spartak a contender for the gold medal,” Karpin said at a media conference to present Kallstrom and Insaurralde at RIA Novosti.
“This set of players allows us to fight for the championship, plus there’s a qualified coach. With this squad, Spartak should be fighting for first place.”
He added that Kallstrom and Insaurralde would not be able to make their debuts for Spartak away at city rivals Dynamo on Sunday. Romulo is with the Brazil squad at the Olympics.
Insaurralde, who signed from Boca Juniors, said he was adapting well to life in Moscow since joining Spartak last week.
“In the first few days the main impression was that I was in a situation that’s like home,” he said.
“I hope I’ll cope with the adaptation quickly. For me it’s an honor to be in a city like this and at a club with such ambition.”
Kallstrom said he was delighted to work with Karpin, who he called his childhood “idol”, since joining from Olympique Lyonnais, but that he needed to improve certain areas of his game.
“Physical endurance, work rate, the passing game,” he said when asked what he wanted to improve.
Spartak are level on six points with Zenit and Lokomotiv Moscow at the top of the Russian Premier League after winning both of their first two games, against Alania Vladikavkaz and FC Volga, with both wins coming thanks to late goals.
Spartak's last Russian title came in 2001.
