Anzhi was banned from playing Europa League matches in Dagestan

UEFA “banned” not only the home stadium of the Makhachkala residents, but the entire region in which, according to sports officials, playing football is dangerous to life.

Makhachkala's Anzhi made an appeal to UEFA President Michel Platini, in which he expressed bewilderment at the decision to ban the Dagestan club from holding Europa League matches in Makhachkala.

“It is with great regret and surprise that we learned of UEFA’s decision not to hold Europa League matches with Anzhi at our home stadium in Makhachkala,” says a statement on the club’s official website. “Usually in such cases, UEFA representatives consult with the leadership of the national federation and the club, send their commission to check on the spot the possibility or impossibility of holding matches in a particular city. Unfortunately, in this case, nothing similar has been done, “Anzhi” has been holding matches in Makhachkala for more than 20 years - the Russian championship. During this time, there was not a single serious incident at our stadium. The stars of European and world football - Roberto Carlos, Samuel Eto'o, Yuri Zhirkov and others - are happy to play in Makhachkala for Anzhi under the leadership. his mentor, Guus Hiddink."

Of course, it’s not a royal thing to travel around the Caucasus with a commission... it’s better to take it and cancel all Mondays.

“Millions of our fans were waiting for the matches for the European Cup in Makhachkala as a real holiday. The shareholder of the Anzhi football club is investing multimillion-dollar funds in the reconstruction of the stadium, the construction in the city of a new ultra-modern football arena, a youth football academy, the construction of seven football centers throughout the republic, the club " Anji" has been proclaimed a "territory of peace", and we believe that holding the Europa League on the territory of Dagestan will correspond to our motto for the benefit of preserving peace and maintaining security," Anji emphasized.

Dagestan lost matches, and the nationalists had a “holiday”. But it is obvious that this is a blow to the prestige of the country as a whole. Let us recall, for example, the scandalous match of 1997, when the Swiss Sion, after being eliminated from the UEFA Cup, protested the result of the match with Spartak due to the discrepancy in the size of the goal. As we understand, stadiums are certified and licensed before matches in various cups. Obvious provocation and humiliation...

You need to understand that UEFA's decision has grounds. It's no secret that Dagestan is now a hot spot, but is the federal center doing anything? Dagestan is a failure of state policy. And to be honest, not a single official would have flinched if they had not banned him from playing in Dagestan. Will it twitch? Let's see.

I feel very sorry for Anzhi fans who will not be able to attend the Europa League games in Dagestan!