Russia fear ties in cold east will hurt stars

Loud calls grew in Russia on Tuesday for the cancellation of Lokomotiv Moscow’s upcoming away match in the country’s freezing Far East to protect the health of national squad players. Lokomotiv, the league leaders, are due to cross eight timezones to play last-place SKA Khabarovsk in the their 15,200-seat Lenin Stadium on Monday. Khabarovsk’s first promotion to top flight Russian football has given an unexpected headache to the bigger clubs just as the nation prepares to host the World Cup on June 14-July 15.

Simeone remains steadfast in his words of support for star forward Antoine Griezmann more than in his actions after substituting the French international in each of Atletico’s last two games.

Griezmann has angered some Atletico fans by publicly flirting with a move away before agreeing to stay and signing an improved contract when the club’s appeal against a transfer ban was rejected in June.

However, a run of no goals in his last eight games and just three all season has meant there has been little reconciliation with a set of supporters that demand commitment above all else.

Simeone insisted he was with Griezmann “to the death” as long as he “remains in his family” after another blank in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at home to bitter rivals Real. Yet a divorce between player and club at the end of the season now seems inevitable, particularly with Atletico needing to balance the books should they crash out early.

NOT SO MAGIC WANDA

Atletico’s European success was built at the fortress Vicente Calderon where they won 18, drew four and lost only one of 23 Champions League games under Simeone.

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