Larionov Shares Hope for Atanasovs Return Ahead of Crucial Match

The head coach of Torpedo, **Igor Larionov**, spoke after the team’s loss to Lokomotiv (1-3, 0-1) in the Gagarin Cup series match about when he expects the return of the team’s leader, **Vasily Atanasov**.

«The atmosphere in Yaroslavl is always fantastic. The arena is charged up, the fans are engaged, and it was a good game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t secure the win, but this is a series. We will have the chance to analyze a few things and prepare for the next match. Is Firstov out of the lineup? We have fair competition. Those who train better and perform better are in the squad. As for the penalties? There’s not much to comment on; the referees see the game and make their decisions, and we can’t really complain about that. Atanasov is feeling better; we have great hope that he will play in the third match in Nizhny Novgorod,» Larionov’s words were reported by Championship correspondent Lev Lukin.