CSKA hit by injuries ahead of Lille trip

Published: 13 Sep 2011 - 03:00:20

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CSKA hit by injuries ahead of Lille trip

Three-time Russian champions CSKA Moscow go into Wednesday's Champions League clash with French champions Lille on the back of a heavy 4-0 domestic defeat to city rivals Dynamo.

CSKA, who were without several first-choice players, experienced problems both in defence and attack, with Dynamo dominating the game.

CSKA manager Leonid Slutsky begged his club supporters' pardon for the dissappointing result, saying that he was burning with shame over his team's poor performance.

"I'd like to apologise to our fans for our playing and the result. It's a shame to play this way," Slutsky said.

"But I've just 14 first-line field players left at my disposal, while others have fallen out with injuries."

"I have no other choice but to involve our young players but they still lack confidence for serious-level matches. Most of them are not yet ready to play at such a high level."

On Wednesday CSKA will be without first-choice goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev, who is out for six months after undergoing knee surgery, and Japanese midfiedler Keisuke Honda, who was also sidelined with a knee injury for at least two months.

The absence of Akinfeev remains the Red Army side's biggest problem as Sergei Chepchugov, who guarded the net in the last two CSKA matches, has never played in Europe before, while Vladimir Gabulov, whom CSKA took on loan from Anzhi, is lacking match practice.

However, CSKA skipper Sergei Ignashevich said he was hoping the weekend thrashing would raise his teammates' fighting spirit for the Lille fixture.

"We need to forget this defeat as soon as possible and continue our preparations for the next match," Ignashevich said.

"There are experienced players in our squad and they would never give up or become slack even after such a heavy defeat.

"On the contrary, I hope this defeat will make us more fierce in the next match."

Lille captain Rio Mavuba has told his players to "go for it", recalling the chastening European experience of his time with Bordeaux.

"We were too timid at the beginning, that's why this time we have to go for it, and try to explode.

"(With Bordeaux) we didn't play to our best ability, afterwards you quickly have regrets."

Lille go into the game after a confidence boosting 3-1 win at Saint Etienne last Saturday to leave them lying third on 10 points, two behind Montpellier.