Four RPL players make UEFA’s 50 for the future list

Four players from the Russian Premier League were included on UEFA’s recent list of 50 young players to watch for 2020. Rubin Kazan’s Zuriko Davitashvili, CSKA Moscow’s Arnor Sigurdsson and Vadim Karpov, and Krasnodar’s Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov were named alongside 46 other under-21 prospects playing for UEFA clubs.

Twelve months ago, Ilzat Akhmetov and Fedor Chalov represented the RPL on the 2019 list after having beaten Real Madrid home and away in the Champions League.

Zuriko Davitashvili (Georgia, Rubin Kazan, 18)
Davitashvili is the only one yet to have appeared in a senior UEFA competition, although the 18-year-old Georgian made an appearance in the UEFA Youth League with his former club Dinamo Tblisi. He is already in his fourth season of professional football after making his full debut at just 15.
This season for Rubin Kazan he has started 15 out of 19 RPL matches, scoring one goal in the 2-1 win over Tambov on 5 October. He has been capped twice by his country.

Arnor Sigurdsson (Iceland, CSKA Moscow, 20)
Last season Sigurdsson scored seven goals and assisted twice in 27 total games for CSKA Moscow, shooting him to prominence on the continental stage. A fortnight after making his full international debut in November 2018 he scored and set up one in the shock 3-0 win away to the then-reigning European champions Real Madrid.
This campaign has been statistically more disappointing, with only two goals and one assist so far from 20 games in all competitions. Five matches have been missed through injury.

Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov (Russia, Krasnodar, 20)
Suleymanov’s penchant for spectacular goals has gained him the attention of audiences beyond Russian borders, especially his stunning double away to former European Champions FC Porto in Champions League qualification last autumn.
Despite not starting the RPL campaign in the starting XI for Krasnodar - he had to wait until the sixth matchday to begin a league game - he has forced his way into Murad Musaev’s first-choice side with six goals and six assists in all competitions.

Vadim Karpov (Russia, CSKA Moscow, 17)
CKSA Moscow’s injury problems in defence have given Karpov a golden chance to stake his claim for a place in the team. In fact, the youngster has started the last seven RPL matches, as well as all but one of CSKA’s Europa League group-stage matches.
Karpov is the fifth youngest player to make the list, older only than Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, FC Porto forward Fabio Silva, Barcelona prodigy Ansu Fati and Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki.