Spartak fans are over the moon after their team convincingly thrashed CSKA 3-1 in the big Moscow derby on Saturday. They are used to being cautious and skeptical -- after all, Spartak are the perennial losers who haven't won the championship title since 2001 and have enjoyed no trophies of any kind since 2003. This is not the first time they enjoy a good start only to fall apart later on. And yet, the Red-and-Whites simply can't help feeling euphoric these days. Could this finally be their season?
Beating CSKA and pushing their rivals deeper into crisis was absolutely crucial. The champions are now seven points adrift from the top spot, occupied by Spartak who have won nine of their first 12 fixtures. Zenit, level on points with them, remain favourites for the title but the fight is on, and the man responsible for such a fortune got the job almost by accident after the season had started. Massimo Carrera didn't expect to be in charge after moving to the Russian capital in the summer but he took the opportunity with both hands.
Carrera is a former defender who enjoyed a successful career in Serie A, winning almost every possible title during his five seasons at Juventus in the 1990s; he's also considered a legend at Atalanta. After hanging up his boots, he returned to Juve and soon became a trusted assistant to Antonio Conte. In fact, he even took full charge of the team in August 2012, while Conte was suspended, and lifted the Supercoppa, prompting Exor CEO John Elkann to joke: "Carrera won more titles in his first game as a coach than Zdenek Zeman in his entire career."
When Conte sensationally resigned in 2014, Carrera followed him to the national team but their fruitful cooperation came to an end this summer because there was no room for him at Chelsea. The 52-year-old was thinking of a new challenge, and it so happened that at the beginning of Euro 2016, Carrera met Spartak Moscow coach Dmitry Alenichev.
Spartak were looking for a new assistant coach for their defence after sacking Dmitry Ananko and the owner Leonid Fedun thought that he should be an Italian, just like the goalkeepers' coach Gianluca Riommi. The top choice was Alessandro Nesta but the former Italy star naturally refused to leave his big project at Miami FC and move to Russia as an assistant. Riommi then suggested Carrera and Alenichev, who speaks good Italian from his playing days at Roma and Perugia, called the specialist himself.
"We met in Lyon after the game between Italy and Belgium and made an official offer immediately afterwards. Massimo agreed in principle and the contract was signed after the tournament ended," Alenichev recalled. Little did he know that he was bringing his own successor to the club.
Alenichev is a figure of mythical proportions for Spartak supporters. He was one of the symbols of the great team built by Oleg Romantsev that ruled Russia in the 1990s. The attractive short-passing style, long associated with the club, was abandoned at the beginning of the new millennium and Alenichev, who returned to the club after winning the Champions League with Porto, strongly disagreed. "I am ashamed with Spartak these days," he told Sport Express in 2006, in one of the most sensational interviews, and he was promptly thrown out of the team.
Ever since, the Spartak faithful had dreamed of his return as a coach, believing that Alenichev was the only man able to bring good old days back. Fedun didn't like the idea but the public pressure became unbearable and he was forced to sign the legend in the summer of 2015 after Swiss coach Murat Yakin failed miserably. Sadly, Alenichev fared little better in his debut season last term. Spartak finished fifth, 15 points behind CSKA, and there was no sign of the eye-pleasing aesthetic football everyone wanted to see. The owner described the result as "a disgrace" and yet was forced to keep the coach after Kurban Berdyev refused to take over.
Berdyev, who built an empire at Rubin Kazan and then almost led small but financially unstable Rostov from a relegation battle to the brink of winning the league last season, has always been Fedun's favourite. It was clear that Alenichev was living on borrowed time, though, as the boss was waiting for his failure. It arrived in a spectacular fashion in the beginning of August when Spartak amazingly lost to AEK Larnaca of Cyprus in Europa League qualifying.
Alenichev was fired, Berdyev resigned from Rostov at the same time and everyone assumed that the natural move is about to happen. Carrera was given the reins on temporary basis while Fedun started negotiations with the coach of his dreams. Berdyev was even supposed to bring a number of Rostov players with him but there was a twist in the tale.
The problem was that Fedun and Berdyev failed to establish a mutual understanding: the coach wanted to decide absolutely everything, just as he did at his previous clubs, but the owner was used to being in total control as well. The talks started on a positive note but led nowhere.
In the meantime, Carrera made a very positive impression on players, fans and journalists alike. The Italian's boundless energy, reminiscent of Jurgen Klopp's antics on the touchline, added much needed spice to the team that was used to Alenichev sitting motionlessly on the bench. Spartak played fast, coherent and emotional football in the first two matches under Carrera and on August 17, as Berdyev no longer appeared relevant, he was given the job on permanent basis. Eventually, Berdyev stayed at Rostov and continues to coach them even though he was officially named vice president.
Carrera's promotion was unexpected to all involved, including himself, but he looked ready for the adventure from the first moment. "I am glad and proud that the club chose me, and we only have one goal -- to win. I will work day and night and put my soul into this team, so that it returns where it belongs," the Italian said upon his unveiling.
With the word "caretaker" removed from his job title, Carrera won four matches in a row, convincingly beating a strong Krasnodar side and city rivals Lokomotiv in the process. The momentum was stopped when Spartak were thrown out of the Russian Cup by second division Khabarovsk and then lost 1-0 at home to lowly Ufa. Carrera, who usually wears a tracksuit, uncharacteristically came to the game well-dressed and joked after the final whistle: "I will burn that jacket." Eventually, despite losing 4-2 at Zenit in a dramatic top-of-the-table clash, the good mood returned and now the team has since won three in a row.
Spartak have suffered from an inferiority complex against CSKA in recent years: the champions had also won seven of the previous 10 derbies. This time, Leonid Slutsky's depleted squad stood no chance. Carrera's men were dominant, passionate, enthusiastic and self-confident. They scored three quality goals and could have added more. "Our fighting spirit is growing every day," the coach proudly said.
Quite ironically, Fedun's hugely disappointing era started when he got rid of the famous Italian coach Nevio Scala shortly after taking over the club in 2004. He later tried to sign big names but was never patient with them. Michael Laudrup and Unai Emery were gone long before they could possibly settle and find their feet in unfamiliar surroundings; Yakin only got one poor season as well. Now, remarkably, his search could be over in the most unexpected manner.
Despite his inexperience, Carrera seems to understand Russian mentality much better than his well-known predecessors. If Spartak can go all the way and win the elusive title, that would be one of the best stories of the season and Conte would surely be proud of his friend. However, it is way too early to start celebrating. Over the years, Spartak proved again and again that they are able to self-destruct in any circumstances. It is up to Carrera to stop that nightmare.