Attacking flags: how Russian legionnaires start the new year in UEFA tournaments

European competitions are coming back this week. The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League are entering the home stretch — the teams have two matches left to play and determine who will go on to compete for the trophies of prestigious tournaments. Our football players playing abroad are also involved in the fight. About whom the Russian legionnaires played and will still play in the penultimate round and who has already finished competing in tournaments, see the Izvestia article.

Nikita Khaykin ("Buda-Glimt")

The main sensation of the first game day in the European Cup in 2026. The Norwegian club stopped Pep Guardiola's formidable car at home. By the 24th minute, the scoreboard at Aspmuir Stadium was 2-0, with Kasper Heg scoring a double. Manchester City besieged Khaikin's penalty area well, but they couldn't score, and Bude's counterattacks caused lethal damage.

After the break, the Norwegians scored again, but referee Sven Jablonski canceled the goal after the intervention of the VAR. At the end of half an hour, the teams exchanged goals — first Jens Hauge scored 3-0, and a couple of minutes later Ryan Sherki scored one goal. Moments later, Rodri received two yellow cards within a minute and ended the match ahead of schedule.

This greatly facilitated the task of Bude-Glimt. The Norwegians could have scored more, but Hauge hit the crossbar, VAR "stole" Heg's third goal again, and Helmersen could not beat Donnarumma in stoppage time, going one-on-one. Outnumbered, the "townspeople" failed to create a serious threat — 3:1.

Nikita Khaykin made four saves and helped Buda get their first victory in the overall stage. In the final round, the Russian team will have a difficult trip to Madrid to Atletico Diego Simeone. There will be no trump card in the form of a home stadium.

Matvey Safonov (PSG)

The Russian goalkeeper is still recovering from a broken arm sustained in the triumphant Intercontinental Cup final with Flamengo. In the last Champions League game for Parisians in 2025, Matthew was the one who went out (0-0 with Athletic), now Luis Enrique has practically no choice — Luc Chevalier was at the start.

PSG, in Safonov's absence, crashed out of the French Cup from Paris, and now a new setback is the loss to Sporting 1:2. The match was completely dictated by the French — 74% to 26% in possession, 28 against 10 in shots. They even scored three times, but never legally.

Everything was decided at the end of the second half. Khvich Kvaratskhelia quickly responded to Luis Suarez's goal with a beautiful shot from the penalty area. In the 90th minute, the denouement arrived: Chevalier fended off a long-range shot from Trinkau in front of him, and Suarez got his bearings on the rebound, sending the ball with his head under the post.

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Sorokin vs. Copenhagen, Golovin will play against Paphos, Safonov will wait for a chance in the match against Tottenham

The Paris superclub is now at risk of falling out of the top eight, taking into account the match of the final round with the unyielding Newcastle. Sporting moved up to sixth place due to this victory and will definitely be higher before the finish, for example, Manchester City and Inter.

Alexander Golovin (Monaco)

The Monegasques came to visit Real Madrid in terrible shape: since the beginning of December, there have been only three victories, two of them in the French Cup. It was not possible to surprise the audience at the Santiago Bernabeu. Thanks to Mbappe's efforts, Madrid scored 2-0 by the middle of the first half. Ten minutes after the break, it was 4-0, Mastantuono scored and Kerer scored an own goal, and between Vinicius and Bellingham's next goals, Tese's ball suddenly got in the way. The final score is 6:1, Monaco's biggest defeat this season.

Alexander Golovin caught all the main events on the field, being replaced six minutes before the end of regular time. The Russian legionnaire was one of the most prominent members of Sebastian Pocognoli's team — he led his partners into striking positions several times and once shot Thibaut Courtois himself. The statistical portal WhoScored gave our midfielder a score of 7.1, the best result in Monaco.

Golovin's team is still teetering on the edge of the top 24. Everything will be decided in the last round, when the French will host Juventus. Real Madrid has strengthened its position even more and now it will not only remain in the top 8, but also compete for the second place - it gives a slight advantage in the draw for the playoffs (the first place can only be met in the finals of the tournament). Madrid will travel to Lisbon in a week, where Jose Mourinho's Benfica are waiting.

Egor Sorokin ("Kairat")

Sorokin's Kairat was the first to open the 2026th European Cup year. Rafael Urazbakhtin's squad hosted Brugge. The Belgians started January badly, crashing out of the Charleroi Cup and losing in the championship to the modest La Louvier, which is in the relegation zone. In the Champions League, the situation was no better: in order not to lose the chances of passing, all you had to do was win.

Brugge handled this brilliantly. "Kairat" steadfastly held on for half an hour, but still made a mistake, which was exploited by Deyan Stankovich's youngest son Aleksandar. Before the break, 33-year-old veteran Hans Vanaken increased the score, and in the final 15 minutes Romeo Vermant and Brandon Mechele made it big.

But the Kazakhstanis did not leave without a goal — in the 92nd minute, Adilet Sadybekov beautifully shot from a half-volley. The 23-year-old midfielder celebrated the goal by pulling off his T-shirt. The reason was that Adilet missed ten months due to a ruptured cruciate ligament.

Egor Sorokin showed only a yellow card — in the 80th minute he did not allow his opponent to escape in a counterattack. Kairat remains in last place in the overall stage table and loses its chance of getting into the top 24 before the end of the round.

Daniil Khudyakov ("Storm")

Two defeats in recent Europa League matches have greatly complicated the standings of the Austrians. Now they are eighth from the end, and they are three points away from the coveted 24th place. Next up is Feyenoord, but Khudyakov's fans should not be upset by the club's formidable name: the Dutch are right behind the black and white in the general stage table, and they have not known the taste of victories for a month and a half.

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Matvey finally has the opportunity to prove that he is capable of being number one this season.

A huge disadvantage for the "Storm" is a very long winter break. The last match in the Austrian tournaments took place on December 14th, the next one will take place only on February 1st. Plus for Khudyakov, the leased Oliver Christensen, Daniil's main competitor for the position, returned to Fiorentina. There are good chances to enter the field for the first time this season (so far only five double matches).

Magomed Ozdoev, Fedor Chalov (PAOK)

Our foreign players in Greece will face a serious test in the face of Betis, which is in fourth place in the Europa League table. For now, PAOK is safe — 18th place, two points from the relegation zone - but it is absolutely necessary to take points with the Spaniards. Lyon, the leader of the tournament, is waiting for the Greeks in the last round.

The team of Ozdoev and Chalov is in good shape for the match with Betis: they are not losing in the new year, Olympiacos were knocked out of the Cup, and they are on the first line in the championship. Ozdoev remains one of the leaders of the black and white (eighth in minutes played in the season, the team's top scorer in the championship) and recently scored again, just for Olympiacos. Chalov has four game minutes on his account so far in 2026, but Fedor is playing steadily, so we are waiting for him in the next game.

Nikita Iosifov ("Tsele")

After a very successful start (three wins and one draw), Celje slowed down a lot — lost to Czech Sigma, Croatian Rijeka, drew with Irish Shelbourne and dropped out of the top 8. Now we will have to play play-off matches for reaching the 1/8 finals of the Conference League.

Iosifov's team is waiting for "Drita". In the group stage, the club from Kosovo took 20th place with eight points (Celje took 13th place with ten points). We lost only to the 100% favorites — we got 0:3 each from AZ and Rayo Vallecano. But they are unlikely to be an obstacle for last year's quarterfinalists of the LC. The play-off matches will be held on February 19 and 26.