"We need to approach recruitment correctly and carefully"

After winning the bronze medals at the previous Russian football Championship, Lokomotiv Moscow lost three key players — Dmitry Vorobyov, Alexey Batrakov and Artyom Karpukas. The last two left last week, just days before the fifth round match against CSKA (2:3). The transfers of all three should bring the "railwaymen" about € 40 million.

But the team failed to start the season. She has not won a single match in the first five rounds of the championship so far and is in 14th place, just one point ahead of the relegation zone from the RPL. So far, the club has acquired only the midfielder of Samara "Wings of the Soviets" Sergey Babkin. At the same time, part of the amount, according to a number of media reports, may be used to repay accounts payable that have been dragging on since the 2021/22 season. At that time, the club spent over €50 million under the previous German leadership — Director of Strategy and Development Ralf Rangnick, sports director Thomas Zorn and three successive head coaches from Germany.

Mikhail Galaktionov, the head coach of Lokomotiv, who replaced them, gave an interview to Izvestia after the match with CSKA. He compared the current position of the team with the one in which the club was at the time of his arrival, and explained why the Railwaymen are not very active in the transfer market yet.

"You just have to win, that's all"

Football player Sergey Babkin talks about his transfer to Lokomotiv, the team's standings and his first match for the Railwaymen

— When you discuss the strengthening of the squad with the club's management, do you understand whether it is possible to use the money that Lokomotiv relies on for Vorobyov, Batrakov and Karpukas for new acquisitions? Did the management say that part of the funds could be used to pay off financial obligations that were rumored to be left over from the days of German management?

— I am not authorized and incompetent to comment on financial issues. In any case, it's up to the shareholders and the club to decide. The most important thing for us is that the club has long outlined its position: Lokomotiv adheres to the Russian backbone, the Russian team. And it will work in this direction in a price-quality ratio. Therefore, if we have a player who will strengthen us, and his price is reasonable, we, of course, will be interested in him. It is not necessary to spend all the money now, it is not clear to whom and it is not clear why. We need to approach the recruitment process correctly and carefully.

— Are you ready for the fact that you may have to work with the current squad at least until winter and try to get the most out of it?

— Let's look at the facts. We'll be watching and then we'll talk about it.

— Lokomotiv is currently in 14th place in the championship — in fact, in the same positions where it was when you joined the club at the end of 2022 after the German headquarters. Are there any similarities in the team's condition with that period?

In a transitional state: how RPL clubs strengthen at the start of the season

Daku, participant of the 2026 World Cup, ex-Inter player - the most high—profile successful and likely transfers in the Russian Premier League

— The question is not even about the place of the team, but about the psychological state of the players at that moment. It was different. Some players started suspending their contracts and leaving the club. Now the situation is different: players leave the team, which was united and achieved a certain result, on a point-by-point basis. A parallel, of course, can be drawn.

— And what is the psychological state of the team now? At that time, Dmitry Barinov's phrase caused a great resonance. Shortly before your appointment, speaking about the behavior of the Loko legionnaires, he rather sharply stated that some of them, if you translate his words into literary language, did not care about what was happening. Do you notice any of your players have a similar attitude now?

— No, absolutely not. Now all the guys are extremely motivated, worried and training well. It's just a matter of patience and turning the situation around. On the contrary, I can only support everyone. And on the part of the players, I see a great desire to fix everything and show the best possible results.