Rebrov apologized to Ukrainians for playing padel with Berezutsky: 'I didn't know he had returned to the RF'

Former Ukraine national team head coach Serhiy Rebrov publicly reacted to the spread of a video online showing him playing padel with former Russian national team and Moscow CSKA defender Vasiliy Berezutsky. According to the publication Sport RBC.UA, citing the Ukrainian specialist's Instagram page, Rebrov addressed the public and apologized to fans for this episode, which sparked a wide resonance in the Ukrainian sports and social space.

Public Apology and Explanation

In his statement, Rebrov emphasized that he does not maintain contact with representatives of the aggressor country, except for those who have publicly condemned the full-scale war and left Russia. However, he stated that he was aware of Berezutsky's anti-war stance, but, according to him, he "was not aware that he recently went to work as a coach in the RF". "I do not follow football in the terrorist state. As a public figure, I want to apologize to Ukrainians whom I offended with this act, but I ask you not to doubt my pro-Ukrainian stance," the specialist stated.

Context: Berezutsky's path after 2022

Vasiliy Berezutsky is a former defender of Moscow CSKA and a former player of the Russian national team, with whom he reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008, and with the club won the UEFA Cup. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, Berezutsky publicly spoke out against the war, left the CSKA coaching staff, and moved to Spain. However, according to available data, after working for the Azerbaijani "Sabah", he returned to Russia, where he took charge of the club "Ural".

Support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Rebrov's argument

Separately, Rebrov reminded that he has systematically supported Ukrainian defenders since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. As confirmation of his position, he cited the recent purchase of a batch of 50 Starlink terminals for the needs of one of the Armed Forces of Ukraine brigades, emphasizing that his actions on and off the field remain consistent.

Contradictory data

There are inconsistencies in the statements of the parties and in the factual context. On the one hand, Rebrov claims that he did not know about Berezutsky's recent return to Russia and his appointment as coach of "Ural", citing that he does not follow football in the RF. On the other hand, information about Berezutsky's appointment at "Ural" is public and widely covered in sports media, which casts doubt on the thesis of complete ignorance. In addition, there is a contradiction between Berezutsky's previously stated anti-war position and his actual return to the Russian coaching environment, which Rebrov, according to his own words, did not track. Thus, the explanation of the Ukrainian specialist remains his personal version, not confirmed by an independent refutation or confirmation from Berezutsky.

Reaction of colleagues and the public

Previously, former Ukraine national team footballer Artem Kravets spoke about the situation with Serhiy Rebrov and Vasiliy Berezutsky, sharing his opinions on this episode. The video of the joint padel game itself caused an ambiguous reaction in Ukrainian social networks, where some fans criticized the former coach's actions, while others accepted his apologies and reminded of his pro-Ukrainian activities. The editorial board notes that evaluative judgments, according to Ukrainian legislation, are not subject to refutation and proof of their truthfulness.