Valery Karpin believes that Spartak Moscow will fight for their progression to the later stages of the UEFA Champions League along with Celtic FC and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/SL-Benfica-c40542
Rubin Kazan are the only Russian Premier League club that has ever won against four-time UEFA Champions League winner, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Barcelona-c39078, in the past.
The Kazan-based club drew 0-0 at Tsentralnyi stadion after their malicious 2-1 win at Camp Nou in the group stages of the 2009-10 European campaign. However, Kurban Berdyev's men failed to reach the later stages despite winning
against the Spanish giants.
Spartak Moscow general director, Valery Karpin, has motivated his side ahead of their first group stage match against the Catalans, saying that the Spartachi needs to stick together after remembering Rubin’s land mark win against
Barcelona.
And while the Volzhane displayed a rock solid defensive performance against Barcelona three years ago, Karpin is of the belief that people use to remember the winning team and all that matters is the three points in the end.
Karpin insisted that the Spartachi have been drawn against tough teams in the group stages, saying that they will find it extremely difficult to win matches against SL Benfica, a team that reached the quarter-finals of the tournament
last term.
The Portuguese club defeated defending league champions, Zenit St. Petersburg, in the round-of-16 prior to their 3-1 defeat against eventual winners, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 FC.
“We are certainly not the favourites to progress from the group stages. Spartak will fight with Celtic and Benfica to reach the later stages, believing that Barcelona will secure top-spot on their respective group table.”
“The match tickets for the game have been sold out weeks ago. This tells us that Spartak are a famous team in the Russian Championship. We are optimistic and we will go there with confidence.” The Intertoto Cup winner was quoted
as saying.
Spartak will play league matches against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Rostov-c39192 and Amkar Perm along with their Russian Cup tie against FC Salyut Belgorod prior to their second group stage match against the Scottish team.
Karpin revealed that the Moscow-based club need to forget about the forthcoming matches and should focus on the much anticipated European tie against Azulgranas.
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