Coach Kuznetsov expressed support for Smolov and called the fight with his participation a provocation.

Dmitry Kuznetsov, the head coach of the Broken Boys football team, told Izvestia on September 11 that he fully supports former Krasnodar striker Fyodor Smolov, who previously became a defendant in a criminal case after a fight in a restaurant in Moscow.

"We will support Fedor in every possible way, in any difficult or unpleasant moments. We will be on his side," Kuznetsov shared.

He also noted that this story is a provocation. According to him, this case is not the first time when people want to benefit from conflicts with athletes.

Unsportsmanlike conduct: is Fyodor Smolov facing a real prison sentence

The strange story of the football player's fight has been continued

The initiation of a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 112 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Intentional infliction of moderate harm to health, not life-threatening") against a football player became known on September 10. Smolov came into conflict with two visitors to a Moscow restaurant in late May, but footage of the incident appeared online only on July 5. It was noted at the time that the cause of the conflict was unknown, but there were suggestions that the player had been provoked.

Businessman Andrey Popelukha, who became a participant in the fight, told Izvestia at the same time that the conflict between the two men and Smolov in the "Coffee Mania" occurred after they refused to have the athlete pay their bill amid the noisy behavior of his company. The athlete's wife reported that Smolov, after a conflict with customers in a cafe, repented and apologized to the victims, and also offered to pay them compensation.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.