The Fakel Courier
Player ratings10 Aug 2026
Ravil Netfullin, 33, rolls back the years — 7.94
There is an age at which every good afternoon gets described as a throwback, which is unfair and also accurate. 7.94 at 33, and nobody on the pitch was better.
Boardroom10 Aug 2026
Fakel go back to the board over Baqtiiar Zainutdinov
The number the board signed off was not enough. It has been asked again and raised its own offer to $545.1K — a club that wants Baqtiiar Zainutdinov enough to be asked twice.
Transfer targets10 Aug 2026
Fakel make their move for Baqtiiar Zainutdinov
$500.0K on the table at Dinamo Moscow. The manager wanted him, the board agreed a number, and the only voices still to be heard are the ones at the other club.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Darko Todorović in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Fakel this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Match8 Aug 2026
Fakel find a way past Volga
Volga made Fakel work for it, but the scoreboard read 3‑2 at the end and the table does not ask how.
The dugout10 Aug 2026
Daniil Frolkin gets it from the manager
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Market10 Aug 2026
Fakel promote Platon Shevtsov from within
The academy exists for exactly this morning. Platon Shevtsov has come through every age group the club runs and has now been handed a senior number, and the people who coached him at twelve will be the proudest in the building.
Market10 Aug 2026
Fakel promote Igor Romanov from within
The academy exists for exactly this morning. Igor Romanov has come through every age group the club runs and has now been handed a senior number, and the people who coached him at twelve will be the proudest in the building.
Market10 Aug 2026
Eduard Ibragimov steps up from the Fakel academy
There is no fee, no unveiling and no agent on the steps. Eduard Ibragimov has been at this club since he was a boy and is now, formally, one of the first-team squad — which for a local readership beats any signing of any size.
In brief
- Market Anton Maksimov steps up from the Fakel academy
- Player ratings Ninety minutes of Belajdi Pusi at his very best
- Player ratings Nuri Abdokov in the eights