Introduction:
The Aleksei half of the Berezutski double act is, like his brother Vasili, an imposing defender. Having played for CSKA Moscow for the vast majority of his career, 33-year old Aleksei is set to take part in what is likely to be his final tournament at international level. In a trophy-littered career, Berezutski has lifted the Russian Premier League title five times, the Russian Cup seven times and the UEFA Cup. In the UEFA Cup final, Berezutski levelled against Sporting in the second half before Yuri Zhirkov and Vagner Love gave CSKA a 3-1 victory. At the end of May, he was filmed cycling to training with his brother and recently gave an interview, in which he said that he prefers to work with Leonid Slutsky at CSKA rather than in the Russian national side.
Strengths and weaknesses:
An obvious strength of Berezutski is his vast experience at the highest level with a winning team, much of which also forms the national side. Berezutski is a very versatile player which makes him ideal for tournaments where reaction to injuries and tactical readjustments are crucial. Though not expected to start against England, he is a sound option to call from the bench. His physical presence, broad-shouldered at 6”3, makes him a force at both ends of the pitch.
Of concern, like several members of the national side, are his pace and mobility; a pacey forward could cause untold trouble. Similar weaknesses are seen in his brother Vasili, and Sergei Ignashevich, who are both likely to start the opener against England, a side whose new-found optimism stems from their youth and pace.
The 2015/16 season:
Voted by CSKA fans as player of the season, beating the likes of Ahmed Musa, Berezutski enjoyed a fine campaign, in which he was also voted player of the month three times. Like most of the members of the league champions’ back line, Berezutski defied both age and a mid-season loss of form to wrestle the title back from Zenit’s grasp. On the big stage, namely the Champions League and Russian Cup final, performances were suspect but it is fair to argue that CSKA were punching above their financial budgets simply to be there in the first place. Nonetheless, Berezutski and co will need to work on their defensive solidity before the game against England on Saturday. Space in behind the defence could be exposed, making a tight set-up from Slutsky likely.
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