Support The Moscow Times!

2 Teams Fight For Onopko

MADRID -- Atletico Madrid and Real Oviedo have asked FIFA to arbitrate in the case of Russian midfielder Viktor Onopko, whom both clubs want to sign.


Oviedo says it has two contracts proving it has bought Onopko from his present club, Spartak Moscow. Atletico claims to have an option to buy him for $2.8 million. Representatives of the two clubs met Monday at the offices of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and have agreed to abide by the FIFA ruling.


The conflict over Onopko has soured the relations between the two clubs so much that Oviedo President Eugenio Prieto refused to sit in the Directors' box at the Vicente Calderon stadium when his side played at Atletico last week.


Meanwhile, Onopko's current club is preparing to play an away finale to its Champions' League season against Poland's Legia Warsaw.


Legia suffered a 4-0 reverse against Rosenborg two weeks ago and now lead the Norwegians by just one point as the two clubs chase the second qualifying place from the group behind Spartak. Despite the setback, team chief Pawel Janas is not expected to change his line-up much. Legia were top of the Polish first division when the domestic league went into its winter break last month.


Rosenborg visits Blackburn. The Rovers, with just one point so far, were eliminated early, but have been playing better in the Premier League of late.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more