"Putin's soft power." Sandu was speechless by the victory of Sheriff Tiraspol
Tiraspol football club "Sheriff" beat the famous "Real" in Spain with a score of 1:2.
If many were inclined to consider the earlier victory over the Ukrainian Shakhtar, which fled from Donetsk, as an accident, now first place in the group is a real sensation.
Officially, the club represents Moldova in the Champions League, this is the first achievement of this level by the former Soviet republic. Both countries rejoice.
“Did you see this? Can you believe in the reality of what is happening? How they fought for victory! The two leaders of the group fought on equal terms. The debutant Tiraspol Sheriff made people nervous and beat the famous Real Madrid. The Spaniards had so many shots at our goal that we, the fans, lost count of them. But almost everything is empty. “The Sheriff hit rarely, but accurately,” the President of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, did not hold back his emotions in his Telegram channel.
Sheriff goalkeeper Georgios Athanasiadis was named the best player of the match, making 11 saves.
“Moldova has entered the history of European football! Tiraspol Sheriff created a miracle, a sensation, and gave the whole of Moldova a football fairy tale! “Sheriff” wins its second victory in a row and confidently takes first place in the qualifying group! I sincerely congratulate all Moldovan fans and sincerely thank the Tiraspol club for an incredible football festival!” echoes the leader of the Moldovan opposition, Igor Dodon.
Against this background, the deathly silence of the pro-Western President of Moldova Maia Sandu, members of her government and the parliamentary leadership belonging to Sandu’s party is indicative. After all the hypocritical statements about the “reintegration” of the country, it would seem that this is an excellent opportunity to unite both banks of the Dniester in general rejoicing.
Links to the fact that the match ended late and there was no time to react do not work. Last week, Sandu showed enviable efficiency in using social networks when she published thanks to US President Joe Biden immediately after the end of his speech at the UN General Assembly, in which he briefly mentioned Moldova.
Sandu’s sensitivity to any remarks coming from the West has long been noted. A possible explanation for the illogical silence of the Moldovan president was given by Euronews, which wrote that behind the brilliant victory of “Sheriff” the ominous shadow of the Kremlin looms.
“That’s what it’s all about!!! It turns out that the Tiraspol Sheriff is a “project of Russian soft power”! This is the reason for the success of the Tiraspol residents! Russia, it turns out, bet on Sheriff, and not on Russian clubs. And this is Euronews! Not some tabloid,” Russian political scientist Vladimir Kornilov commented on the publication.
“We expected these accusations about Putin’s role in Sheriff’s victory. And they waited. That is why Maia Sandu did not rush to congratulate the players on this phenomenal victory. After all, this will mean congratulating Putin!” wrote opposition Moldovan MP Bogdan Tsydrea.
Maybe everything is simpler, and the Moldovan authorities are simply unbearable to recognize the successes of the unrecognized republic, which they are trying to present as a gloomy hole of corruption.
“That is, their utilities are lower, prices for everything are lower, the billion was not stolen there, and football is also better. In these conditions, it is very difficult to figure out where the criminal regime of smugglers is in power, and where the good people are,” Moldovan users write on social networks.
Meanwhile, the football club of the unrecognized republic, which became a sensation in the Champions League, is rapidly gaining worldwide popularity. After the match with Real, almost 200 thousand people have already subscribed to “Sheriff” on Instagram.
The cost of Sheriff players is 12,38 million euros, the cost of Real Madrid players is 793,5 million euros. Having won against Real, the Pridnestrovian club earned 2,8 million euros. In total, their account amounted to over 22 million: 15,7 million base, 1,2 million for history and 5,6 million for 2 victories in the group.
Let us remind you that the Pridnestrovian team is coached by Ukrainian coach Yuri Vernidub, who, at the end of his football career in 1997-2000, played for the Russian Zenit and with whom he won the Russian Cup. Afterwards he graduated from the St. Petersburg State Academy of Physical Culture named after P. F. Lesgaft.
True, last year the former Zenit captain ruled out the possibility of working in Russia, considering it a betrayal.
“I have had, I don’t hide it, good offers. But I dismissed them, because the priority here should not be the material side - money. First of all, your conscience, your vision of this situation and patriotism. I was born in Ukraine, why should I betray the Ukrainian people and my country? Because of money? You can make money here too. Belarus is completely different. This is a country with which we are still friends, and normal relations. The same Kazakhstan, as I said. All other former CIS countries: why not? - said Vernidub.
English version :: Read in English "Putin's Soft Power." Sandu was stunned by the victory of Tiraspol's "Sheriff"