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Russian national football team should play two more friendlies this year — RFU chief

"We are holding talks about the Russian national team’s matches in October and November," Alexander Dyukov said

MOSCOW, September 13. /TASS/. The Russian Football Union (RFU) plans organizing two home friendly football matches until the end of 2024, RFU President Alexander Dyukov said on Friday.

"We are holding talks about the Russian national team’s matches in October and November," Dyukov said. "You all know well about our approach and as soon as we give our consent and sign the relative deals, we will make our announcements."

"We have repeatedly stated that it was important for us [to play friendlies]," the RFU chief continued. "We will be seeking to use any possible opportunity for organizing friendly matches for our national team. The priority here is about the matches on the home turf because it’s significant for our spectators."

"It’s about two matches in Russia in October and November," Dyukov continued. "However, a lot will depend on our possible contenders, the weather forecast and the state of the playing grounds."

Russia’s football ban

The International Association Football Federation (FIFA) announced on February 28, 2022 that the Russian national team and all professional clubs representing the country were barred from taking part in FIFA tournaments.

In turn, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) made a similar decision in regard to the Russian national football team’s participation in UEFA tournaments.

Both FIFA and UEFA cited Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine as grounds for their respective bans on Russian teams’ participation in competitions.

Since sanctions were introduced, the Russian national football squad has played a host of friendlies against other countries, namely against Kyrgyzstan (2-1), Tajikistan (0-0), Uzbekistan (0-0), Iran (1-1), Iraq (2-0), Cameroon (1-0), Kenya (2-2), Cuba (8-0), Serbia (4-0) Belarus 4-0 and Vietnam (3-0).

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