Introduction:
Moscow-born Vasili Berezutski got his RFPL breakthrough for Torpedo-ZIL in 2000. There, he played together with his twin-brother Aleksey, before they both moved to CSKA Moscow in 2001.
Since joining CSKA, Berezutski has turned into one of the most significant Russian football players this decade. He has played an instrumental role in all five of the Army Men’s Russian championships, while also winning the Russian cup seven times and being part of the CSKA side that won the 2004/2005 UEFA Cup, as he played all 90 minutes of the final against Rangers alongside his brother.
He is furthermore closing in on his 100th game for Sbornaya, and he represented Russia at the successful EURO 2008 campaign, while being the captain of the team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Strengths and weaknesses:
Berezutski has played together with his partner Sergey Ignashevich since the latter joined the Army Men from Lokomotiv in 2004, and the two of them know each other like their back pockets. Berezutski has furthermore played together with goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev since 2003, so the Russian defenders knows each other very well.
Berezutski is furthermore relatively good on the ball for a central defender, and although Ignashevich is the preferred centre back to lead the ball forward, Berezutski is able to deputize if the former is marked or injured. On top of that, Berezutski is good in the air, while also being a clever and experienced defender, who is able to read his opponents well.
When that is said, Berezutski is getting old, and the soon-to-be 34-year-old defender is getting slower and slower, and he has often struggled against quick and agile strikers.
The 2015/2016 season:
Although CSKA won the league once again, Berezutski had a difficult season as he struggled with injuries. He finished the season with just 18 league games and two Champions League games played. While Berezutski sat out, CSKA went through some of the hardest months of the season, which resulted in several embarrassing performances both domestically as well as in Champions League.
When Berezutski was fit to fight again in the spring, so were CSKA and he was the usual rock in central defence, and played a big role in the Army Men securing the title.
While Berezutski played well in the league, his weaknesses was exploited by Zenit in the Russian cup final, when he was sent off after 62 minutes for an illegal tackle on Aleksandr Kokorin in the penalty area. CSKA went to lose the game 4-1, and Berezutski had to watch the last 30 minutes of the game from the stands.
