Celestial level: Leonid Slutsky remains in China

Russian coach Leonid Slutsky has extended his contract with Shanghai Shenhua until the end of 2027. The Chinese club announced this on social media. In a year and a half of working with the Shanghai team, Slutsky played 64 matches in all tournaments, won 47 victories, drew 8 times and lost in 9 meetings. The Russian specialist also helped the team win trophies and rewrite several important records. Read more about the work of the ex-coach of CSKA and the Russian national team in China in the Izvestia article.

International success

Slutsky joined the Shanghai club in early January 2024 and has since achieved considerable success. In the first match at the head of Shenhua, the Russian coach won the Chinese Super Cup, beating Shanghai Port (1-0). However, in the championship, Slutsky's team took only second place, one point behind the same opponent.

In the new season, history repeats itself. Slutsky won the Chinese Super Cup against Shanghai Port again (3:2) and is currently second in the national championship. Shenhua has 38 points on its account — the team is inferior to the leading Beijing Guoan in additional indicators. Of course, Slutsky's team has every chance of winning gold at the end of the championship, which will end in November. An additional motivation for winning the trophy is a new two—year contract.

"I want to say thank you to those who work at the club — the players, the management, the coaching staff, the doctors," Slutsky told the club's press service. — Of course, to the fans, whom I consider to be the best in the world. I am very proud to be here. I understand how big this club is with the highest goals. But the most important thing for me is that I'm happy here. I am a foreigner, and it is not easy for me to adapt to a different mentality and culture, but I am very happy to be here. Thank you for continued cooperation. I hope that I can be more effective next year.

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In general, the Chinese period of the Russian coach's career turns out to be excellent. Slutsky not only takes the trophy and fights for the championship for two years in a row, but also rewrites club records — for winless and winning streaks, dry matches and away wins.

Besides, Slutsky is successful in the international arena. It was under the leadership of the Russian that Shanghai Shenhua reached the AFC Champions League playoffs for the first time in history. In the spring of 2025, the Chinese club left the draw only at the 1/8 finals stage, losing 1-4 to Kawasaki after two matches.

Anniversary

The extension of his contract with Shanghai Shenhua is not the only good news from Slutsky lately. The 54-year-old coach recently celebrated his 20th anniversary of starting work in the major leagues. Leonid addressed the fans on social media about this.

— Exactly 20 years ago, on July 14, 2005, I was appointed head coach of FC Moscow. I remember the first match with Spartak very well, and that bright 3-1 victory, and Bracamonte's fantastic goal. A lot of time has passed since then, more than 700 games have been played in different countries and with different teams, a long way has been traveled, which is still ongoing. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone I worked with, and I would like to thank the fans who believed, as well as the skeptics who helped me become stronger. Show must go on. See you at the football game! — the specialist wrote.

Slutsky's career is really rich in clubs and events: after Moscow, the coach worked for Krylia Sovetov, CSKA, Hull City, Vitesse and Rubin. Together with CSKA, Slutsky won the Russian championship three times and the Cup and Super Cup of the country twice. In addition, from 2014 to 2016, Slutsky led the Russian national team.

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However, in his address, the coach did not mention the Volgograd Olympia, where he worked in various positions from 1992 to 2000, as well as Uralan, where he worked from 2002 to 2004. However, his right is the main thing for Slutsky's current career to develop as long and successfully as possible.

"Slutsky perfectly represents Russian football in China," Vyacheslav Koloskov, Honorary President of the Russian Football Federation, told Izvestia. — Wins trophies, sets records, and is successful in international club tournaments. So I'm not at all surprised that Shanghai has offered him and his Russian assistant a two-year contract extension. I wish Slutsky to take the national championship this year.

Recall that the 54-year-old specialist's coaching staff includes Oleg Veretennikov and Oleg Yarovinsky.