Roman Abramovich's investment vehicle is suing Russian premier league club Krylya Sovietov Samara for neglecting to pay back more than $7 million in loans, a spokesman for Chelsea's billionaire owner mentioned Thursday.
Millhouse, the asset management firm owned by Abramovich, lodged the claim for the repayment of $7.1 million in a Russian court.
"There were 2 separate loans, one was due in 2004 and the other in 2005," spokesman John Mann said.
"We have extended both loans several times, the last time through the end of 2006, however still they failed to repay it and we had no choice but to go to court."
Club officials were not immediately available for comment.
Mann mentioned Abramovich was not trying "to kill a poor Russian club". Samara lie 8th in the 16 team premier league.
"Roman, through his National Football Academy Fund, has spent millions of dollars helping Russian football and he also helped finance the construction of the new football stadium and the training centre for the national team," Mann said.
Abramovich, who has spent nearly $500 million on player transfers since purchasing Chelsea in 2003, earlier this year dismissed media reports that he was tightening the purse strings at the English Premier League club.
02 July 2007
Zenit St Petersburg beat FK Moscow 2-1 Sunday to maintain a one point lead over Spartak Moscow midway through the Russian Premier League season.
Dick Advocaat's team led 2-0 at the break through Russia captain Andrei Arshavin and Ukraine international Anatoly Timoshchyuk, who was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for a record $20 million in February.
FK Moscow pulled one goal back after the interval however Zenit held on to remain in 1st place with 27 points from 15 games.
Spartak overcame bottom team Rostov 3-1 to remain in the hunt for their 1st Russian title since 2001.
Champions CSKA Moscow were held at home to a 0-0 draw by struggling Kuban Krasnodar to drop 5 points off the pace.
CSKA, who have lost Brazilian forwards Vagner Love and Jo to international duty, have now gone 4 consecutive games without scoring, a club record.
Dynamo Moscow suffered a 2-1 defeat at mid-table Rubin Kazan however remained in 3rd place, 5 points adrift of the leaders.
On Saturday, Russian Cup winners Lokomotiv Moscow came back from 2-0 down by scoring 5 2nd half goals to rout Krylya Sovietov Samara 5-2 and end a 4 game losing streak.
01 July 2007
Lokomotiv Moscow scored 5 2nd half goals in a comeback triumph against Krylya Sovietov Samara in a Russian premier league match on Saturday.
Lokomotiv were staring into their 5th consecutive defeat after going 0-2 down only before the break, however fought back to record an emphatic 5-2 win.
Branislav Ivanovic, who helped Serbia to a runners up finish at the European U21 Championship earlier this month, scored Lokomotiv's 1st goal 6 minutes into the 2nd half.
Dmitry Sychev equalised with a dubious penalty in the 63rd minute and fellow Russian international Diniar Bilyaletdinov put his team ahead 3-2 4 minutes later before Mali forward Draman Traore and Alexander Samedov completed the 2nd half rout.
The triumph lifted Lokomotiv to 7th place, easing the load on their embattled coach Anatoly Byshovets.
Former Russia manager Byshovets was under heavy load to resign following 3 straight league defeats that saw his team dropping from 3rd to 11th place.
They were also knocked out of the Russian Cup at the 1st hurdle Wednesday, exactly one month after winning the trophy.
Premier league leaders Zenit St Petersburg visit FK Moscow Sunday whilst 2nd placed Spartak Moscow travel to bottom team Rostov and champions CSKA Moscow host Kuban Krasnodar.
22 June 2007
Spartak Moscow gave Stanislav Cherchesov a boost in his coaching debut by triumphing over Saturn Ramenskoye 2-0 in a Russian premier league match Friday.
Austrian international fullback Martin Stranzl headed the home side in front shortly after the interval and Russia forward Roman Pavlyuchenko made amends for missing a penalty in the 1st half by adding a 2nd in the final minute to seal the win.
Former Russia goalie Cherchesov was named Spartak coach Tuesday, replacing Vladimir Fedotov, who was sacked after his team failed to win a game for 5 matches, losing 3 and drawing two.
The win put Spartak top of the table with 23 points from 14 games for at least 2 days.
Champions CSKA Moscow, on 21 points, would regain the lead if they triumph at 5th placed Krylya Sovietov Samara Sunday whilst Zenit St Petersburg, also on 21 points, host struggling Spartak Nalchik.
