Ufa goalkeeper Belenov thinks Fakel should play in the RPL

Guardian “Ufa” Alexander Belenov told that the RPL should be expanded to 18 teams and also admitted that according to sporting principle, Voronezh Fakel should play in the next Russian Premier League season, despite the stadium’s licensing issues.

Earlier, the chairman of the RFU committee on club licensing Maxim Mitrofanov said that if Fakel does not solve the stadium’s problems, then in the 2022/23 season, the place of the Voronezh team in the RPL would take “Ufa” . “Torch” at the end of the 2021/22 season, he takes second place in the FNL and obtains the right to play in the RPL.

– About 18 teams in the RPL. Shamil Gazizov said that even if Ufa finished the championship in first place, he would still raise the issue of league expansion. In your opinion, is it necessary?

– I think so. Football is not only Moscow. Now we have six teams from Moscow. Football should be in the regions – people should come and have fun. Children should watch good football players. We have stadiums after the World Cup.

We have interesting teams, for example, Alania stood out and went far in the Russian Cup. Why not? Especially given the current situation, they would play more. For everyone, it would be a plus.

– They say that Fakel may have problems with licenses. If this happens, who should replace him?

“I don’t know how everything is distributed there. This should be decided by the RFS. I agree that there should be a sporting principle. If Fakel is out, then he should play in the RPL. Perhaps there will be concessions regarding the stadium. Sport is what sport is for, that there is a winner and a loser.

Moreover, Voronezh is a neighboring city to my native Belgorod. They love football there. There, even the second league came to 18 thousand. It will be cool for Voronezh,” Belenov told .

“Ufa” was unable to maintain a residence permit in the elite division, losing in two play-off matches to “Orenburg”. In the new season, the team will play in the FNL.