Zaza Janashia Defends Sobolevs Simulation Tactics: I Would Do the Same

Former Lokomotiv player Zaza DzhanaShia shared his thoughts on the Zenit Saint Petersburg forward Alexander Sobolev following the match against CSKA Moscow (0:0) in the 19th round of the Russian Premier League for the 2024/2025 season. The game took place at Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg.

«Yesterday, we witnessed a clash between two of the league’s top teams — Zenit and CSKA. Many expected Zenit to be the favorite; however, CSKA has shown strong form lately with quality players who were able to compete well. After the training camps, the teams seem relatively evenly matched, and we will have a clearer picture after a couple of rounds.

Regarding Sobolev’s simulations during the match, it’s an automatic response for him – a reflex. Yes, VAR is present, but I would have done the same thing (laughs). If it works out, great; if not, it’s not a big deal. There’s an element of cleverness in football, and it shouldn’t be judged too harshly. We’ve seen similar instances in World and European Championships,» DzhanaShia remarked in an interview with Championship correspondent Alexander Yershov.