"Akhmat's victory gives Paris NN a better chance to stay in the RPL."

The players of Pari Nizhny Novgorod lost at home the return match of the Russian championship for the right to play in the RPL next season. On May 31, they lost to Sochi, a native of the first league, with a score of 1:3. Three days earlier, Nizhny Novgorod won the first game 2-1 away, but now they have to be eliminated from the RPL by the sum of two meetings. Nevertheless, contrary to usual, this year a defeat in the joints does not mean relegation. The fact is that this week the RFU did not grant Khimki a license to play in the next Premier League draw.

The Moscow Region club finished 12th in the championship, which gave it the right to remain in the RPL without transitional matches, but the huge debts of the Khimki team forced the RFU to deny them a license. The decision on which team will replace Khimki in the Premier League should be made by the executive committee or the bureau of the RFU Executive Committee. The organization's Secretary General, Maxim Mitrofanov, said that the issue would be resolved "taking into account all circumstances, including the results of the transition matches." This formulation makes it possible for different predictions regarding the fate of Paris NN — its departure from the RPL or its retention there instead of Khimki.

In an interview with Izvestia, Maxim Shnaptsev, a Paris NN football player, spoke about the reasons for the team's failures in the season and the joints, suggested under what circumstances the club might stay in the RPL, and also refused to comment on the relationship with the leadership of Nizhny Novgorod and expressed a desire to find an option with more playing practice.

— Can you explain what happened in the second leg against Sochi?

— It seemed as if Sochi wanted to win more. Maybe I didn't have enough concentration somewhere. I don't know, because I didn't play in this match, I was in the reserves. We need to ask those who played.

— In your opinion, did the story of the non-issuance of the license to Khimki affect the mood of Paris NN at the joints?

— I think it had a 100% impact.

— What do you think about the fact that Paris NN was at the bottom of the table all season and eventually lost the matches?

— It's hard to judge. I don't know. I don't want to say anything unnecessary right now. Then, maybe with a fresh head, I'll evaluate it somehow.

— Have you read the RFU's statements about how they will decide who will replace Khimki in the RPL?

- yes.

— Do you understand what criteria the football authorities will use?

— One can only guess. I think a lot will depend on Akhmat's return match with Ural right now. I think it's much more profitable for Akhmat to win (the interview took place half an hour before the start of another play—off match between Akhmat and Ural, as a result, Akhmat won and remained in the RPL. - Izvestia). Then we'll have a much better chance of staying in the Premier League.

— You played very little last season, although you managed to gain a foothold in the squad in the second half of the championship before last. And during the season, they didn't want to touch on the topic of relations with the club's management.

— And I won't touch it now. This is definitely not the case right now.

— Will you comment on the relationship with the club's management?

— I'm definitely not going to say anything about it, so as not to pay for it later.

— Even about the PDF files that surfaced in September in Telegram channels, where there was a concept for the development of the team for this season and an analysis of the composition, in which Alexander Udaltsov allegedly offered to terminate the contract with you because the team did not accept you?

— I don't want to talk about it at all.

Scoring margin: how Akhmat kept his registration in the RPL, and Sochi returned to the elite

"Pari NN" is questionable, "Ural" will continue to play in the FNL

— Are you thinking about your future now?

— Let's see. We will talk to the management.

— When does your contract with Paris NN end?

— In two years.

— Do you have a feeling that if you continue to play so little, then you should try to either go on loan or leave the club altogether?

— Yes, there is. 100%. I am not satisfied with my current situation. I'm a young football player. And if I stay like this for another year, then I can finish with football. Therefore, we will now communicate with the management. Rent, full—fledged transfer or stay at Paris NN - it doesn't matter. The main thing is to have game practice.